TOM REYNOLDS JOINS GREGSON FOUNDATION BOARD

March 17, 2025

Tom Reynolds, a horse owner and long-time racing fan who had a successful career in sales and marketing in the food service industry, has been named to the board of directors of the Gregson Foundation, the organization’s president, Jenine Sahadi, announced Monday.

The Gregson Foundation, named for the late Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Eddie Gregson, provides scholarships for the children of backstretch workers in California. The 501(c)(3) charity has been in existence for nearly 25 years.

“I greatly admire what the Gregson Foundation accomplishes for the backstretch families,” Reynolds said. “I strongly believe that as a society, our biggest mission is to educate our children.”

“Tom has been a passionate and long-time supporter of the Gregson Foundation, and we are thrilled to have him join our board,” Sahadi said.

Reynolds retired after working for nearly 35 years as a sales and marketing executive for the Quaker Oats Company, Gatorade, and PepsiCo. Reynolds started the Gatorade business in Europe, ran the Gatorade business on the West Coast of the United States, and in his final role before retirement was the vice president and general manager of the Frito-Lay Foodservice division across the United States.

Reynolds has been an avid Thoroughbred racing fan since his teens. He enjoys traveling to racetracks all over the world, including an annual trip to Royal Ascot.

He also has become an active partner with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners over the past six years.

Reynolds recently wrote and published the book, “Get Off Your Phone and Start Living: A Guide to Lifelong Connections, Friendships, and Personal Fulfillment.”

Reynolds lives in Dallas, Texas, but is frequently in California, most notably during the summer season at Del Mar.

 

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Edwin J. Gregson Foundation
PO Box 660039
Arcadia, CA 91066-0039

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Foundation News

Board of Directors

Thoroughbred trainer Jenine Sahadi is President of the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation. She has been head of the Foundation since July, 2001, finds it a highly worthwhile cause, and has been particularly motivated by its role in providing financial help in college for children of stable workers.

Since obtaining her trainer's license in 1993, she has already achieved several significant firsts. She became the first female trainer to win a Breeders' Cup race, with Lit de Justice in the 1996 Sprint. She is the only female trainer to win two Breeders' Cup races, repeating in the Sprint in 1997 with Elmhurst. She became the first female trainer to win the Santa Anita Derby with The Deputy in 2000. She is also the leading female trainer in career earnings.

 

Daughter of prominent California thoroughbred breeders Fred and Helen Sahadi, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in journalism/communications and worked for seven years in the marketing and publicity departments at Hollywood Park before turning to the backstretch. Jenine retired as a thoroughbred trainer in 2011.


Board of Directors

Zavina Castaneda Scholarship Grant Recipient

by Jay Privman

 

Arcadia, CA – There are many adjectives that could describe Zavina Castaneda, but perhaps the most appropriate is “determined.” At age 12, she was in a horrific car crash and nearly lost her life, yet her determination to get well brought her back to full health. Later, as a teenager, she was determined to advocate for a younger nephew with autism; he finally was properly diagnosed, and has subsequently received appropriate education.

And now, in her early 20s, she is earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California at Riverside, and this fall intends to start law school, en route to becoming the first in her family to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree.
Her journey has been aided by the Gregson Foundation, which provides scholarships for children of backstretch workers. Castaneda was determined to get the organization’s support, and said the financial and emotional backing have been invaluable.

She will graduate free of student-loan debt, “a privilege I do not take for granted,” she said. Gregson Foundation’s generosity “has given me the financial freedom to focus on my studies without the burden of debt holding me back.”

The Gregson Foundation has supported Castaneda for four years, helping with tuition, books, and supplies.
When she was initially chosen, “I cried – tears of relief, gratitude, and disbelief that someone believed in me and my education enough to invest in my future,” Castaneda said. “Since then, I have been fortunate to receive their support every year, and each time, I am just overwhelmed by their generosity.

“Their impact goes beyond just tuition. I remember when my laptop broke, and I was struggling to keep up with my coursework. The Gregson Foundation stepped in and covered the cost of a new IPad with a keyboard, ensuring that I had the tools needed to succeed. That moment reinforced just how much their support extends beyond financial aid. They truly care about making sure students like me have everything necessary to thrive.”

Castaneda suffered extensive injuries in a car crash when she was 12. Her right femur was badly broken, and it took paramedics 45 minutes to extricate her from the wreckage. During that time, the paramedics attempted to re-set her leg in a splint, but the pain was so excruciating Castaneda’s heart stopped, and it took a minute for her to be revived. Extensive surgery was needed, and she spent more than three months learning to walk again and build up the muscles in the injured leg.

“I became more mature, determined, strong, and even compassionate for others,” she wrote in her Gregson Foundation application. “Even though I wanted to quit, I knew I had to keep going and not give up.”

Several years later, when her parents took custody of two nephews, Castaneda was able to convince them to get one of them evaluated for autism, something his birth parents had dismissed. Her instincts – supported by extensive research she had done in advance of his medical evaluation – proved correct.

“I think he is one of the reasons I am always determined to be a good person and do good for everyone,” Castaneda said in her application essay. “I would not go back and change any decision I have made about helping him.”

Castaneda’s father, Rafael, has worked on the backside for more than four decades, first has a hot walker for Hall of Fame trainer Gary Jones, and later as an exercise rider for, among others, trainers Julio Canani, Cliff Sise, and Ted West. He currently works for trainers Librado Barocio and John Cortez.

Owing to that, Castaneda was eligible for support from the Gregson Foundation.
“Their support has made an immeasurable difference in my life, and I will always be deeply grateful for the opportunities they have provided,” she said.

“It’s an honor to be part of a program that supports the children of backstretch workers through the Gregson Foundation. The foundation’s support has made a real difference not only in my journey but also in my family’s, as they have been on this path with me every step of the way.”

Contributions to the Gregson Foundation, which provides scholarships to children of backstretch workers like Zavina and are tax-deductible, can be made via this link:

https://gregsonfoundation.com/donation/

Grant Recipients 2024

 

Year 2024 scholarship applications were reviewed by the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation Scholarship Committee on October 28, 2024.

A total of ten (10) new scholarship grant applications were approved, for a combined grant total of $58,000. In addition, there were nineteen (14) past recipient applications approved, with grants totaling $110,000. The overall grant total for year 2024: $168,000.

Below are the new scholarship program grant recipients of Year 2024.

 

Nathalie A.

Business Administration
UC Riverside

Anais E.

Entertainment Art
Fullerton College

Janell H.

Biology/Mech Engineering
UC Irvine

Esmeralda C.

Foreign Trade
Univ Autonoma Hidalgo Mex

Melina G.

Psychology
CSU Fullerton

Mia S.

Nursing CSU
San Bernardino

Noemi C.

Medical Assistant
UEI College

Alonso G.

Accounting Mt. San
Antonio College

Juan D

Public Health
UCLA

Veronica G.

Human Dev Studies
CSU East Bay

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Past Grant Recipients