THE STORY OF CHERRY HAWK
This isn't just another day at the track; it's a living legacy born from friendship, passion, and a shared love for the sporting life. It all began with two childhood friends, Taylor "The Hawk" Richardson and Gene "Cherry" Ward.

What started as a fun idea for a day at the Del Mar suites blossomed into an incredible tradition. This tradition deepened when they brought friends together to buy a racehorse, fittingly named "Twenty Hawks." Through triumphs and challenges on the track, Twenty Hawks became a symbol of perseverance, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship — much like the cancer survivors we champion through this annual event.

This enduring spirit is now carried forward by Taylor's children, Brian, Greg, Holly and Heather, who proudly host this event. The tradition fuels the Cherry Hawk Scholarship awarded each year by the non-profit Cancer for College.

This special scholarship honors the memories of "Fallen Hawks" who inspired a love for sports and life. The scholarship provides need-based college scholarships and educational experiences to cancer survivors from Southern California who aspire to careers in sports-related fields like journalism, medicine, or management.

For more information on the Cherry Hawk Scholarship and to see past recipients, click here.

Since 1993, Cancer for College has been providing financial support to the cancer community in the form of college scholarships, educational experiences and medical debt relief. The mission has been simple, if you are a cancer survivor with a household income of $150K or less and attending an accredited college, university or trade school, you can apply for help.

Since inception, we have awarded over $8M in support to the cancer community while helping survivors from across the United States.

2026 Cherry Hawk: A Day at the Races

UNBRIDLED SPIRIT. UNSTOPPABLE IMPACT.