TOBA Awards Week: Foreman Recognized for Service

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will honor national award winners at its 40th anniversary awards dinner Sept. 6 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky in Lexington. Four national winners have been announced ahead of time, and BloodHorse is offering profiles of these winners throughout the week. Today we profile Alan Foreman, winner of the Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award. Most fortunately for racing, Alan Foreman always has been willing to take the deep dive. As racing has crafted paths forward on important issues such as marketing, advocacy, safety, and medication rules, Foreman often has been at the forefront in offering ideas, considering options, and providing thought on long-term outcomes. He is among the racing leaders paving a way forward in Maryland behind a new Pimlico Race Course that will bring both a modern home for the Preakness Stakes (G1) as well as a training center to benefit everyday racing. It's the kind of plan Foreman can support as it considers both the biggest days and the everyday horsemen, who he has been closely aligned with during his 45 years in racing. That commitment saw TOBA choose Foreman as its Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award winner. "When I was told about it, you could have knocked me over with a feather. It means a lot to be receiving an award like this from TOBA," Foreman said. "I was blown away; you just don't expect something like this." Foreman said the award is extra special because it carries Richardson's name. Richardson died in 2021 after leading many industry initiatives. "Doc was a friend of mine and we crossed paths on many fronts in the business," Foreman said. "So that makes this award double-meaningful. I've been fortunate to have my work recognized a few times but this one is right up there." A leading equine attorney, Foreman is chairman and CEO of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. The Maryland-based organization represents more than 20,000 owners and trainers. In terms of marketing and advocacy, Foreman is a National Thoroughbred Racing Association founder who continues to serve on its board. On safety, Foreman was the driving force in creating the nation's first workers' compensation program for jockeys in 1984 in Maryland. He helped guide the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium, has chaired the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities, and co-authored the widely respected New York Task Force Report on Racehorse Health and Safety. He serves as ombudsman for the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority. He's shaping Maryland's racing future through the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. Foreman, who graduated with honors from American University and once worked for the Maryland Attorney General, could have chosen many career paths but opted to work within the industry because of the good people involved and the opportunity to make a difference. "I'm not someone who had skin in the game as a breeder or an owner when I started in racing. My first involvement was as counsel for the Maryland Racing Commission in the (1980) Codex-Genuine Risk interference case," Foreman said. "I feel like I've moved the needle on some things."