Trustees

James Orsini, DVM, DIPL. ACVS – Co-Chair

James A. Orsini is an Associate Professor of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Orsini received his DVM from Cornell University in 1977 and completed his internship and surgery residency training at Penn’s New Bolton Center campus and a two-year fellowship/lectureship before joining the faculty. He is board certified in surgery by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons with a special interest and expertise in orthopedics, reconstructive surgery and laminitis.

Dr. Orsini has published extensively on multiple equine subjects including pediatric surgery, antimicrobials, laminitis, gastric ulcers, pain and antiinflammatory medications and related fields with more than 400 original research, book chapters, abstracts and proceedings publications. He is coeditor of Equine Emergencies: Treatment and Procedures, with Dr. Thomas Divers, in its fourth edition and published in seven languages and currently co-editor on a book soon to be published entitled: Comparative Veterinary Anatomy: A Clinical Approach with Drs. Nora Grenager and Alexander de Lahunta.

Dr. Orsini’s current research interests are in pain management, understanding the pathophysiology of laminitis, prevention and improved treatments and pharmacokinetics.

Kathleen M. Anderson, DVM – Co-Chair

As a founding partner of Equine Veterinary Care, located at Fair Hill Training Center, MD my passion is lameness diagnostics and therapeutics in the TB racehorse starting with yearlings through second career OTTB’s.  My eventing experience in Canada and USA along with FEI accreditation (1988), and Mid-Atlantic racetrack experience dating back to 1986 gives me a solid understanding of the needs in both sport horses and TB racehorses.

As an AAEP Past President (2016), FHTC Board member (1995-present) and a volunteer in other industry positions I strive to contribute to the future of TB racing in order to support the health and welfare of the many horses that inspire me to provide excellence in equine veterinary care!  When not immersed in this calling I like to ride, travel and live vicariously through my two adult children John and Quinn.

Lynne Cassimeris, Ph.D.

Lynne Cassimeris, Ph.D.

Lynne Cassimeris is a Thoroughbred owner by passion and cell biologist by vocation. In 2015 she merged these interests, studying equine laminitis in collaboration with researchers at Penn’s New Bolton Center. Research is ongoing with several publications and financial support from AAEP, the Animal Health Foundation (Lead Investigator, Dr. Galantino-Homer), and the Grayson – Jockey Club Research Foundation (Lead Investigator, Dr. Andrew van Eps). For more information: go.lehigh.edu/laminitis

Lynne, a Professor of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA, earned her Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1988) and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania (1988-1992). Much of her research career involved studying cell division and the cell’s internal skeleton. Her work earned several awards including the 2004 Keith R. Porter Fellowship Award, Lehigh’s 2006 Eleanor and Joseph F. Libsch Research Award and 2021 Hillman Faculty Award. Lynne has authored over 90 research papers, co-wrote and edited a cell biology textbook, and mentored post-docs, graduate students, and undergraduates in her laboratory. Her research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, NATO, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health, and the Medical Research Program of the Dept. of Defense. She has served on grant review panels for government agencies and foundations, and on the editorial board of several scientific journals.

Lynne was introduced to Thoroughbred ownership through public partnerships. She races horses with friends under Frazza Cassimeris Racing or in co-ownership with her trainer, Kelly Rubley, based at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Much like helping students navigate a varied career path, she works to find new homes for her horses once they retire from racing.

Margaret Duprey

Margaret H. Duprey and her husband, Robert (Bob), own and operate Cherry Knoll Farm Inc. in Wellington, FL and West Grove, PA. These equestrian centers are the home of high-performance horses that compete internationally in dressage and show jumping. The West Grove, PA center is also home to prize winning Black Angus cattle.

Currently, Duprey serves on the United States Equestrian Team Foundation’s Board of Trustees, on the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, on the Wilson College Board of Trustees, the American Angus Foundation Ad Hoc Committee, and TERF. Duprey is a Trustee Emeriti of Cabrini University, having served for more than 30 years on the Board. Duprey holds the distinction of being the first Brooke USA Ambassador and is also a Brand Ambassador for Kelcie’s Treats.

Continue reading “Margaret Duprey”

Gretchen Jackson

Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1937

Education: 

  • Springside School, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
  • University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (B.A. Degree)
  • Neumann College, Aston, PA (M.S. Degree)

Resides: 

West Grove, Pennsylvania

Continue reading “Gretchen Jackson”

Katelyn Jackson

Katelyn Jackson

Katelyn Jackson is a lifelong member of the equine community. For the last 3 years, Katelyn has resided in Lexington, KY while working for BSW/Crow Bloodstock and ELiTE Sales. Through these two sister companies, Katelyn gets to play a role in all aspects of the thoroughbred life-cycle.

As a member of the buying team for BSW/Crow Bloodstock, Katelyn attends all major North American public auctions and purchases on average 50-60 yearlings each year for their clients. She is involved in the management of the yearlings, overseeing their pre-training and breaking processes, selecting their future trainers, and following them throughout their racing careers. At ELiTE Sales, Katelyn offers top fillies and mares at auction as they start their second careers as broodmares. Throughout her time at BSW/Crow and ELiTE, Katelyn has been lucky enough to work with outstanding horses such as Monomoy Girl, British Idiom, Uni (GB), Midnight Bisou, Aunt Pearl, Tepin, Mia Mischief, Separationofpowers, A Raving Beauty (GER), and Fourstar Crook.

Katelyn plans to return to the mid-Atlantic region in order to further pursue her passion for equine healthcare and wellbeing at the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center, which was established by her father Bruce Jackson in 2003. In the future, Katelyn hopes to leave a lasting legacy in the realm of thoroughbred aftercare.

Roy Jackson

Born in Edgmont, PA in 1937

Graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 1961

Resides in West Grove, PA

Married Gretchen Jackson in 1959; four children

Grandson of William Rockefeller, former president of Standard Oil. Father M. Roy Jackson, who passed away when Roy was 8, was an avid foxhunter responsible for bringing Penn-Marydel foxhounds to this country. His mother, Almira Rockefeller, and stepfather Hardie Scot got into racing in the 1950s.  Roy stopped riding as a kid and instead began playing football and became a three-sport athlete in high school. Continue reading “Roy Jackson”

Cory Moelis

Cory grew up in Los Angeles and was always drawn to thoroughbreds. He was fortunate to be able to visit his grandparents, Herb and Ellen, at their farm called CandyLand where he would get to see them regularly. Since then, he has gotten more actively involved in the industry as an owner. He currently races horses based in Kentucky and New York, where he now lives.

After graduating college from the Wharton School in Pennsylvania, Cory worked in finance and started an online gaming company focused on horse racing called Derby.com. Currently, he is General Partner at Ground Up Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on early stage investing. He has invested in over 50 companies touching all aspects of technology.

Cory hopes to continue the legacy of his grandfather Herb, who helped start Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) and Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF).

Ellen Moelis

Ellen Moelis is from New York and originally pursued a career in modeling. She graduated from the Barbizon School of Modeling. Shortly after graduation Ellen decided to pursue a business career and joined Allison Management Corporation, a firm specializing in real estate property management. Over a career of 30 years, she rose to become President and 100 percent stockholder of Allison Management, which by 1989 became the largest property management company in New York and New Jersey. Ellen was honored by the New York Real Estate Board and in 1987 received the “Women in Real Estate Award.” In 1989 Ellen sold the business and devoted her total efforts to developing CandyLand Farm in Delaware.

At CandyLand Farm in Delaware, Ellen, with husband Herb, began to breed thoroughbreds from a broodmare band of about 20 mares. They breed for sale at auction and also to race. In 1988, on the advice of pedigree guru, Bob Fierro, they claimed a two-year-old filly named Redeemer for $20,000. The filly is a decendant of La Troienne and had earned $55,000 as a two-year-old. Unfortunately, when Redeemer was brought back to the farm she injured herself in a paddock accident and was retired. Shortly after, her half sister, Lite Light, came on the scene and the rest is history. One of the first progeny from Redeemer was a colt by Houston who was the top selling colt in the 1993 Saratoga sale.

Continue reading “Ellen Moelis”

Wendy Moon

Wendy’s equine roots run deep and began very early. Not to age her, but at around 6 she was able to ride bareback on her Welsh pony past LAX.  Ok, maybe that ages her. Growing up it was cow ponies, barrel and cutting horses.  In high school, she started prepping Thoroughbred yearlings for the sales at Del Mar, and the racing bug bit.

There followed stints working with the CTBA and writing for the Thoroughbred Record, Blood Horse and Thoroughbred Times. Then came a hugely impactful time in Chesapeake City, Maryland. Wendy was instrumental in the development of Muirfield East, a 375-acre farm which she also managed.  Their most famous graduate was two-time Eclipse Sprint Champion Housebuster.  One of Wendy’s most treasured experiences was being the first person on Housebuster’s back.

She was also involved with Thoroughbred Charities of America since its inception in the early 1990s. After Muirfield East was sold, Wendy remained in Chesapeake City and started a custom accounting/payroll business, with many of her contacts in the Thoroughbred business becoming clients.  “Whatever I can give back to the industry that has given so much to me is a blessing and an opportunity.”

Anita Motion

Anita was born in Colchester, England. After a career as an exercise and work rider in England and France where she specialized in the early starting and training of young Thoroughbreds she emigrated to the US with her future husband Graham whom she met while on a summer internship as pupil assistant to Alain De Royer Dupre.

Her riding career ended after a back injury so she now concentrates on the business aspects of Herringswell Stables.

Anita is passionate about Thoroughbred aftercare, rehabilitation and retraining and currently serves on the board of The Retired Racehorse Project, The National Museum of Racing and TERF. Anita founded the popular event The Real Rider Cup which has raised over $100,000 for Thoroughbred Aftercare.

She is married to Kentucky Derby winning trainer, Graham Motion and has two children, Jane and Marcus.

Scott Palmer, VMD

Dr. Palmer received his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1976 and is certified in equine practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. He worked in clinical practice as a staff surgeon and hospital director of the New Jersey Equine Clinic for 38 years prior to chairing the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety to investigate equine fatalities that occurred during the Aqueduct 2011-12 Winter Meet.

Dr. Palmer currently serves as the Equine Medical Director for the New York State Gaming Commission and is an Adjunct Professor in the department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. His research focus is the identification of horses at increased risk for fatal musculoskeletal injury and development of intervention strategies to prevent fatal musculoskeletal injuries.

Dr. Palmer also serves a member of the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) Scientific Advisory Committee and the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Drug Testing & Practices, Equine Safety and Regulatory Veterinarian Committees. He also serves as an advisor to the Cornell University Harry M. Zweig Memorial Fund for Equine Research Committee.

Josh Pons

Co-Owner with his brother Mike Pons of both Country Life and Merryland, Josh is a 3rd-generation Maryland horseman. He is a 1976 Graduate of the University of Virginia, and a 1982 Graduate of the University of Kentucky School of Law. Josh has won two Eclipse Awards for his writing in The Blood-Horse magazine. He and Mike have managed Country Life Farm since the early 1980s. The two brothers purchased Merryland Farm in 2001. Josh is a Past-President of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.