Another Honor for Dick Duchossois '44
Earlier this month at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Richard L. Duchossois, of the Class of 1944, received the The Ellen & Herbert Moelis Equine Savior Award for Philanthropy from Equine Advocates, a national non-profit dedicated to saving horses from slaughter.
The award is just the latest in a long list of honors recognizing Dick’s impact on Thoroughbred racing. Under his leadership, Arlington Park has received three Eclipse Awards, and Dick has been named Man of the Year by the Jockey’s Guild, winner of the American Jockey Club’s Gold Medal and of the Lord Derby Award from the Horserace Writers and Reporters Association of Great Britain. He was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.
This latest award, which was presented to Dick by actress Bebe Neuwirth, recognizes Dick’s commitment to fighting horse slaughter. He was instrumental in working with Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act in 2006. That bill passed the House but was blocked in the Senate.
Gary Stevens, a Hall of Fame jockey and a sports anchor, praised Dick in his remarks at the event: “Without the horses we wouldn’t have thoroughbred racing. But these horses are not just athletes. They’re individual beings that need to be looked after when their racing careers are over. It takes a guy with voice to make people realize that all horses, and not just race horses, should be given every chance to go on and live happy lives.”
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