Racing for Home works to provide retraining, re-homing, rehabilitation, and sanctuary for off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs). Established by the mother-daughter team of Sherrie Courtney and Acacia Courtney Clement, Racing for Home takes each OTTB and evaluates them on a case-by-case basis. They are given individualized care by the organization’s experienced staff at one of its two facilities in Connecticut.

Some horses come directly from the racetrack and can easily be retrained for a second career and adopted out to a new home with a legal contract. Others may have sustained training or racing injuries and are rehabilitated with careful veterinary surveillance and assessment so that the proper placement can be decided. Finally, select OTTBs are provided sanctuary with Racing for Home, and given a place to spend the rest of their lives after their days on the racetrack have ended. This individualized approach is something Racing for Home prides itself on.

It all started in 2009 when Sherrie and Acacia adopted their first OTTB from the Suffolk Downs backside: Palace Diva, a spirited, chestnut mare. Palace Diva was the catalyst for the formation of Racing For Home, which received 501(c)(3) status in 2011. A long-time love for horses, and Thoroughbreds in particular, combined with a desire to fulfill the sense of responsibility to our retired racehorses, turned the operation into a full-time profession.

Since its inception, over 40 Thoroughbreds have gone through Racing For Home’s program. Sherrie, an experienced rider and horsewoman, works hands-on with Racing For Home’s residents daily alongside trusted veterinary staff, barn managers, and trainers. Acacia is a well-known racing analyst and reporter in the industry and works to network OTTBs as well as to create and maintain trusting relationships with horsemen and women looking to retire their horses or support aftercare initiatives.

The pair use social media to share photos and updates of each of Racing For Home’s horses and put an emphasis on keeping donors and fans updated on the work they are doing daily, as they continue to grow and give the highest quality care to their OTTBs.