The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced today that Mrs. Lucy Young Hamilton will be presented with the Dinny Phipps Award. The award will be presented at a cocktail reception hosted by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation in Lexington, Kentucky, at The Apiary on October 14, 2025. Tickets are available here.
Ambassador Earle Mack, an active participant in Thoroughbred racing and breeding for more than five decades, created the award in 2017 in memory of Phipps to honor an individual or individuals who have demonstrated dedication to equine health. Previous winners of the Dinny Phipps Award are the Phipps family, Frank Stronach, John C. Oxley, Michael Del Giudice, Dell Hancock, Dr. Larry Bramlage, and Nancy Kelly (posthumously).
Mrs. Hamilton created the Storm Cat Career Development Award in 2006 to introduce young researchers to equine sciences. The award is named in honor of the champion stallion Storm Cat, which Mrs. Hamilton's family bred, raced, and stood at Overbrook Farm. The award has established itself as an elite incubator for young minds with novel ideas and unique approaches for advancing equine health. Since 2006, Mrs. Hamilton has provided $425,000 in direct salary supplements to 26 individuals pursuing careers in equine research. Currently, 86% of the award winners are active in equine research.
"For generations, the Young family has been committed to the integrity of Thoroughbred racing and have shown continued leadership, which Mrs. Hamilton carries on with strength and courage," said Ambassador Mack. "The Youngs and their continued support of Grayson and horse health epitomize why I created the Dinny Phipps Award, and I'm pleased that the family's virtues and sportsmanship remain strong with Mrs. Hamilton."
"We couldn't be more grateful for Mrs. Hamilton's devotion and support of the foundation and our industry," said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. "Mrs. Hamilton is an exceptional candidate for the Dinny Phipps Award, as she continues to depict the importance of equine health through her generosity and dedication."
In addition to Mrs. Hamilton's success with the Storm Cat Career Development Award, she has served on the board of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation since 1997 and has been a member of The Jockey Club since 1999. She also serves as a trustee for the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. In the past, Mrs. Hamilton served as a trustee for the Breeders' Cup and the New York Racing Association. She has also served on the board of directors for the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Foundation for two terms, the Political Action Committee of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the National Museum of Racing, the Markey Cancer Center, and Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.
To make a donation to Grayson in honor of Mrs. Hamilton, please click here.
Ambassador Mack has owned Thoroughbreds since 1963 and has actively supported equine retirement initiatives. A former ambassador to Finland, he has been a member of The Jockey Club since 2012. Ambassador Mack has also served as a board member at various times for the New York Racing Association, the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund, and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. He was chairman of the New York State Racing Commission in the mid-1980s.
