The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced July 17 that Alan Foreman has been named the recipient of the Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award. Foreman will be honored by TOBA at the 2025 TOBA National Awards on Sept. 6 at Fasig-Tipton near Lexington.
"I am immensely honored to receive this award named for my friend Dr. J. David Richardson," said Foreman. "I have been fortunate in my career in racing to have earned the respect and trust of so many owners, trainers, riders, industry stakeholder organizations, regulators, and legislators, all of whom have given me the opportunity to lead and hopefully make a difference. I share this honor with all of them. I started in this industry working with its people, the backbone of the business. This eventually led me to devote my energies to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the horse and the future of our industry. The challenges today are great, and we must all continue to work collectively to ensure the future of our sport. The Thoroughbred industry is a part of our nation's heritage, and we need to do everything we can to preserve and protect it."
For more than 45 years, Alan has devoted his legal practice and energies towards protecting and defending the best interests of horsemen, the health, safety, and welfare of the horse and rider, and the betterment of the racing industry in North America. A 1972 graduate of American University with honors and a 1975 graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, Alan was a former Maryland Assistant Attorney General and counsel to the Maryland Racing Commission. He was a partner in the major Baltimore law firm Weinberg and Green before establishing his own law firm in 1991.
In 2012, Alan was appointed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety that studied 21 equine fatalities at Aqueduct Race Track from 2011 to 2012. He co-authored its widely acclaimed report. He is the founder and current chair of the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities. In 2023, Alan was named the national ombudsman to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit.
In 2014, he was appointed by Cuomo to serve on a New York Task Force on Jockey Health and Safety. Earlier in his career, he was responsible for the creation of the Maryland Jockey Injury Compensation Fund.
Additionally, he is the founder of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and creator of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship Series. He was a part of a group that designed the concept plan for the redevelopment of Maryland's racetracks and the transfer of track ownership to an industry-led nonprofit entity. In furtherance of that effort, he was appointed by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority.
Currently, Alan serves as counsel to numerous racing industry and equine organizations, is chairman and CEO of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and is the vice chairman of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.
Alan is a lifelong Maryland resident and lives in Pikesville, Md., with his wife, Randi. They have three sons and four grandchildren.
"We are excited and honored to recognize Alan's extraordinary contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing," TOBA president Dan Metzger said. "His life's work has been dedicated to the interests of the entire industry, and his legacy may be best remembered as being one of the key players in the creation of the new Maryland Jockey Club, with the much-anticipated opening of Pimlico Racecourse in 2027."
Recent winners of the Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award include Frank Taylor for his work with Stable Recovery and Michael Blowen of Old Friends. The Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award was previously called the TOBA Industry Service Award. The award was renamed in 2023 in honor of the late Dr. J. David Richardson, a breeder/owner for more than half a century, who served on numerous industry boards, including as chairman of TOBA and the American Graded Stakes Committee.
The TOBA National Awards, hosted this year by FanDuel's Scott Hazelton, will honor breeders from 19 states and Canada. Also recognized are the TOBA National Owner of the Year, TOBA National Breeder of the Year, TOBA Small Breeder of the Year, National Broodmare of the Year, Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year, Rood & Riddle Sport Horse of the Year, Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, and the Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award.
Bluegrass music and the award-winning Dan Tyminski Band will perform live at the 2025 TOBA National Awards. Tickets for the Awards Dinner and ceremony are available online.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
