Danny Burgner, a breeder, entrepreneur and digital marketer, has announced the formation of a public benefit corporation, Beforecare, to raise money for the Thoroughbred aftercare through the sale of trading cards and collectible items.
The Thoroughbred Collectibles Exchange will be marketed to racing enthusiasts, bettors, and industry participants before its goal of introducing the sport to the broader community of collectors and resellers.
One hundred percent of net revenue will support immediate aftercare needs while building the professionally managed Beforecare Permanent Fund, according to a press release from Beforecare, which says that the company aims for the model to shift the long-term responsibility for funding aftercare from the Thoroughbred industry to consumers, collectors, and resellers in the sports trading card and collectibles market.
“The need is urgent, and the solution must be permanent,” Burgner said. “The industry does not lack compassion, dedicated organizations, or people willing to help. It lacks a commercial funding engine capable of growing to meet the full scope of the problem. We believe the proven sports trading card and collectibles business can become that engine.”
Beginning this October, the first Thoroughbred Collectibles Exchange program will follow leading two-year-olds as they turn three and progress toward the 2027 Kentucky Oaks and Derby, according to the press release. Four releases totaling 100,000 cards will establish the horses’ rookie cards and allow collectors to follow them as the Oaks and Derby picture develops.
Demonstration prototypes are scheduled to become available during the period spanning Keeneland’s 2026 Fall Race Meet and the Breeders’ Cup. Commercial sales are expected to begin in Q1 2027, followed by releases tied to major Oaks and Derby prep races.
The sports trading card and collectibles market is a $25 billion a year industry, expected to grow to $40 billion by 2030.
“The objective is not a single card release,” reads the press release. “It is a year-round commercial platform that promotes Thoroughbred racing and breeding by turning the industry’s personalities, milestones, and physical history into products that fans, collectors, and resellers can follow, purchase, trade, and value over time.”
“Beforecare is designed to provide aftercare organizations with the report every Thoroughbred and industry person in need,” Burgner said
“Comprehensive aftercare protects public confidence, supports commerce, strengthens communities, and helps preserve the industry’s culture and its multigenerational way of life. Industry leadership can help launch the platform, while consumers can provide the scale required to make that commitment permanent.”
Future products planned include Triple Crown and Thoroughbred Championship Series collections, “Classic Winners: Past, Present & Future,” premium cards, autographs, memorabilia, and historically themed releases.
