Oak Lawn’s “Ring The Bell” initiative raised just over $100,000 for Thoroughbred aftercare during the 2024-2025 season, according to Janet Milligan, executive director of the Arkansas Jockey Benevolent and Protective Association. This total includes donations made by ringing the bell as well as contributions from fans at the race circuit.
This amount marks a notable rise from the $71,590 raised in the 2023-2024 meeting. Since the program’s inception in the latter half of the 2021-2022 season, contributions have steadily increased each year. Milligan highlighted that while funding has grown, the number of horses the program supports has also expanded.
The funds benefit the Arkansas Thoroughbred Retirement Program and Rehabilitation Foundation, a partnership between the Arkansas HBPA, which represents jockeys, and Oak Lawn. Established in 2021, the foundation aims to provide retired Oak Lawn racehorses with a safe transition to second careers.
Milligan credited Paul Holthus, the Ring the Bell program coordinator and former trainer, for boosting donations during Oak Lawn’s 62-day 2024-2025 season. “He played a key role in encouraging more owners, trainers, and jockeys to participate,” Milligan said ahead of the 2025-2026 season opener.
At Oak Lawn, donations of at least $100 are publicly recognized after races by a Winner Connection member who rings a large bronze bell in the Larry Snyder Winner’s Circle. The foundation operates a nearby farm owned by longtime Oak Lawn pony owner Jean Pettinger and former jockey Don Pettinger, which serves as a foster home for horses waiting for adoption. Milligan explained that all proceeds support horse care needs such as feed, hay, farrier services, veterinary care, equine dentistry, and supplies.
Adoption applications go through thorough vetting, including reference checks, and adoption fees, typically around $1,000, are reinvested into the foundation’s care programs. Since December 2024, the foundation has adopted out 39 horses, totaling 134 adoptions since its start in 2021, with 113 horses placed in permanent loving homes.
Milligan emphasized the importance of donations from bell ringers and the horsemen community in caring for the growing number of retired horses. “Every year, more horses need retirement homes, and the foundation helps them find new jobs and families. For example, one woman uses Oak Lawn Thoroughbreds for trail rides and, as the Garland County Sheriff, also employs them for mounted patrol duties,” she said.
The idea of combining the bell-ringing fundraiser with Thoroughbred aftercare was proposed by Hot Springs trainer Ron Mockett, renowned for his work with Whitmore, a seven-time Oak Lawn Stakes winner and 2020 North American champion male sprinter.
The “Ring the Bell” program began in the 2021-2022 season, raising $14,000 in its final six days. It was officially launched by Oak Lawn President Luis Serra and Arkansas HBPA President Bill Walmsley, who together donated $5,000 on behalf of their organizations. Serra, also a Thoroughbred owner, is the son of the late Oak Lawn president Charles Serra, who campaigned the 1995 turf champion Northern Spur.
During the 2022-2023 meeting, the program raised $68,000, including $48,000 from owners, trainers, and jockeys ringing the bell after wins. An additional $20,000 came from two generous owners and a $5,000 donation from social media personality Dave Portnoy.
Fan Take: This rising support for retired Thoroughbreds highlights the racing community’s growing commitment to horse welfare beyond the track. For fans, these efforts ensure that the sport not only celebrates the glory of racing but also responsibly cares for the champions after their careers end, preserving the legacy and integrity of horse racing.
