Aftercare Alliance elects new president, board members

Photo by The Racing Biz.
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance board of directors elected John Phillips as its President for the 2020 term and elected three new board members at its meeting Dec. 30.
Phillips, owner of Darby Dan Farm, served as TAA President in 2018. He has been a member of the TAA board since 2016.
“The TAA is dedicated to protecting our sport by caring for its equine athletes once their racing careers are over. I am honored to serve the TAA, it is my way of giving thanks to the equines that have given me and my family so much,” Phillips said.
Mike Meuser, managing director at Miller, Griffin & Marks, PSC who served as President for the 2019 term, will remain on the TAA’s board and executive committee for 2020 as Immediate Past President. Meuser previously served as the TAA’s Vice President and Secretary and was one of the TAA’s founding board members.
“We are pleased that John Phillips has agreed to serve another year as TAA President, as we build a foundation of highly talented successor board members to assume leadership of the organization for years to come,” Meuser said. “This is a very strong board that has the skills and focus to keep building sustainable funding for the TAA’s future.”
Phillips and Meuser are joined on the executive committee by TAA Vice President Craig Bandoroff, owner of Denali Stud; TAA Treasurer Jen Shah, director of tax services at Dean Dorton; and TAA Secretary Walter Robertson, attorney at Stites & Harbison.
The TAA rotates its board of directors and its executive officers.
The new board members beginning service in 2020 are: John Keitt, CEO and Publisher of BloodHorse; Josh Rubinstein, President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club; and Richard Schosberg, multiple grade 1 winning trainer and chair of the aftercare committee of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.
They join current TAA board members: Boyd Browning, Brian Graves, Case Clay, Chip McGaughey, David O’Farrell, Donna Brothers, Dora Delgado, James Gagliano, Jeffrey Bloom, Martin Panza, Nicole Walker, Simon Bray, Susie Hart, Tom Ventura, and Yvonne Schwabe.
LATEST BUSINESS NEWS
Charles Town to race April 23
After losing most of two cards to weather last weekend, Charles Town Races will run an additional night of live racing April 23.
MTHA endorses change to claiming price rule
The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA) on Wednesday endorsed a less restrictive claiming rule than currently in place.
Preak Weeks return to help Baltimore businesses
1/ST and The Maryland Jockey Club announced the return of its Preak Weeks initiative to spotlight Baltimore businesses.
Colonial Downs unveils condition book, stakes sked
An expanded live racing schedule, featuring higher overnight purses and more stakes races, are on tap at Colonial Downs this summer.
OwnerView webinar focuses on owner relations
The second installment in the 2025 OwnerView webinar series discussed the efforts racetrack executives make to ensure they are keeping “Owners First.”
Jill Byrne tabbed as new VTA executive director
Jill Byrne will take the reins as the new executive director of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, representing breeders.