Down at the Dutch Racing Stable in New Jersey, a two-year-old colt (a young male horse) named John Jay is starting a new training routine in hopes of one day becoming a champion racehorse. The colt’s connection to the College extends far beyond his name. He happens to be owned by John Jay College professor and alumnus Anthony Gentile ’78 ’01, who will donate a significant portion of the colt’s race earnings to the College’s Food Pantry. Long a supporter of the Food Pantry, Gentile is adamant about ensuring no student at John Jay goes without a meal or nourishment. “In the past, I’ve donated to the Food Pantry at John Jay and continue to do so, but I wanted to come up with a unique way to provide additional funds to this wonderful cause,” says Gentile, who learned about the large number of food insecure students across the CUNY system in a news article years ago. “We have students in need, not just here at the College, but throughout the city and across the country; and you saw those numbers go up during the pandemic,” he says. “I truly believe that no student at any age or any grade level, whether they’re in kindergarten or a college senior, should go hungry. My hope is that John Jay’s participation in races will help shine a light on food insecurity and encourage others to donate to their local food pantries. We can help feed students and their families and ensure students are at their best in the classroom.”
“I truly believe no student at any age or any grade level, whether they’re in kindergarten or a college senior, should go hungry. My hope is that John Jay’s participation in races will help shine a light on food insecurity.” —Anthony Gentile
Getting the Horse Named
While the notion of purchasing the colt developed during the pandemic, the idea to name him John Jay was almost immediate. Gentile wanted to create a link between the horse and our students. “I knew that we would be coming back to campus at some point and wanted to get our students excited about returning to in-person classes. I thought purchasing a colt and naming him John Jay would be a wonderful rally point for students,” he says. Providing details on the lengthy naming process, Gentile explains the challenges he faced in getting a proper name, like John Jay, approved. “The national governing body in the thoroughbred industry that approves all names for young horses immediately disapproved of the name. But I just couldn’t accept their decision. It meant so much to me to have his name be John Jay,” says Gentile, elaborating on his determination. “I wrote a formal appeal letter, went to the Zoom hearing with the governing body, and gave my reasoning. I explained that the name John Jay is attached to the College, a not-for-profit organization, and that I was using the name to better connect with the students who have needs and use the Food Pantry. It took some time, but the name was approved.”
(left to right) Anthony Gentile, his wife Yvonne, and John Jay
“John Jay is very intelligent for a young horse. He’s strong and knows which way to go on the track—it’s very important for a racehorse to know that.” —Anthony Gentile
Training a Winner
John Jay’s trainer Patrick McBurney, who is also donating a portion of his winnings to John Jay’s Food Pantry, keeps Gentile readily informed on the young thoroughbred’s progress. “So far, the reports from Pat are promising. John Jay is very intelligent for a young horse. He’s strong and knows which way to go on the track—it’s very important for a racehorse to know that,” says Gentile with a laugh. “While he has more to go in his training, we’re confident his conditioning and speed will improve.” Over the next few months, John Jay’s training will evolve from a light jog around the track—it helps build stamina and muscle—to early morning workouts, typically called breezing, where he’ll work up his speed, according to Gentile. “Our goal is to have him racing at the Aqueduct Racetrack in January 2022.”
Sharing John Jay’s Journey
As someone who has been passionate about horses and horse racing for years—his dad loved horses and his wife, Yvonne, is an equestrian rider—Gentile hopes students at the College feel a connection to John Jay and are excited by his journey and mission. He also wants students to meet the racehorse. “I’m hoping that by next season we’ll stable John Jay at Monmouth Park on the Jersey Shore, and it would be great to get some students to visit. I’d love to dedicate one of the park’s picnic locations for students. I’ll get a bus, load the students up, and get them to the track so they can watch him race,” says Gentile. “Whether or not John Jay wins, I’d love for our students to come down to the track and have some fun. I hope they’ll find some excitement in who he is and that they’ll be moved by what we’re trying to accomplish through his racing.”
“Whether or not John Jay wins, I’d love for our students to come down to the track and have some fun. I hope they’ll find some excitement in who he is and that they’ll be moved by what we’re trying to accomplish through his racing.” —Anthony Gentile
When thinking about John Jay’s future and what he hopes the colt can achieve, Gentile circles back to meeting the needs of students facing food insecurity. “I’d love for John Jay to become such a recognizable name in the industry that when folks think about him and his mission, they remember to help others in need, especially students facing food insecurity,” says Gentile. “That’s the purpose here. If a racehorse like John Jay can be a vehicle to bring awareness to such an important cause like the need for food pantries, well, that to me is just priceless.”
