“...and now Believe in Hope starting to make good ground. Down the center of
the track here comes Gold Alley, leaving the shot wide open now. Believe in Hope
gets the lead. Down the center, Gold Alley. Believe in Hope. Gold Alley. They’re in it together ... Believe in Hope wins!”
Hope. It is the human emotion that sustains everyone. It keeps people going. It drives them to victory. But for thoroughbred owner and philanthropist Mace Siegel, hope is not just about winning races.
 Believe in Hope, ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr., wins his first race at Del Mar. (©2008 Benoit Photo) |
In 2001, during a construction tour of a new building on the City of Hope campus,
Siegel was handed a button with the phrase “Hope Rises.” Moved by the theme, Siegel was determined to draw attention to City of Hope’s lifesaving work. Siegel and his daughter Samantha chose one of their fastest and most beautiful horses to carry the Hope Rises name. Hope Rises won her first race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Oct. 31, 2003, followed by three additional wins.
While Hope Rises’ last race came in June 2004, throughout her successful career she was a symbol of endurance and grace for City of Hope. Supporter harnesses power of horses to spread message of hope After retiring, she gave birth to a foal that became ready to race this year — and he was ready to win. Believe in Hope triumphed in his very first race at Del Mar on Aug. 2. Siegel contributed $10,000 to City of Hope in honor of the win.
Due to this early and surprising success, Believe in Hope’s trainer plans to move up
the horse’s long-term goal by accelerating his training for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, an annual horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Siegel hopes the horse can pique fans’ interest in City of Hope. “City of Hope is creating a new model of cancer center for accelerating the development of new therapies,” said Siegel. “I am proud to support the unyielding determination of everyone at City of Hope to find better treatments for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
Siegel, chair of Macerich, a retail property company, along with Arthur M. Coppola, was honored in 2007 with The Spirit of Life® Award by City of Hope’s Los Angeles Real Estate & Construction Industries Council. Siegel pledged $1 million to the industry group’s annual fundraising effort, bringing the group’s total funds raised for City of Hope in 2007 to $3.4 million.
Earlier, in 2004, City of Hope and Siegel honored his late wife, Jan, through a dedication in her memory on the sixth floor of City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital.
“City of Hope is redefining the future of medicine,” said Siegel. “Its mission of shortening the time from initial idea to new treatment for life-threatening diseases is remarkable. I am proud to join the thousands of industry members to support such tenacity.”
