Ohio native Dr. Ashlie Henricks grew up showing on the A circuit in the hunter ring but put her successful show career aside to attend vet school at Ohio State and start a family. After accomplishing such major milestones, Henricks was ready to take on another exciting challenge. “I was introduced to the OTTB world as a veterinary student at Ohio State,” Henricks said. “I would help ride some OTTBs at a local barn for an adoption organization. After vet school, I took some time off from riding to focus on my new career and to start a family. I always kept in the back of my mind that one day it would be really rewarding to adopt an OTTB.” In 2020, Henricks did just that and adopted Ide B a Classic from TAA-accredited New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program in Louisiana. “I had been looking for a while for an OTTB,” Henricks recalled. “The trainer at the New Vocations Louisiana facility thought there might be a better fit for me who was recently retired from racing and just coming off an injury. I remember when she texted me the first photo of him and my heart was pounding. It was a feeling I couldn’t ignore. Of all the horses I had been looking at over the past few months, this was the first one that caused my heart to jump and an instant gut reaction.” With two young kids at home, Henricks was excited to share her passion for Thoroughbreds and wanted to find a horse that the whole family could love. After 30 starts in five seasons on the track, Ide B A Classic retired with a record of 5-5-3 and earnings of $57,925. The son of Ide may not have found success as a racehorse but earning his warhorse status equipped the chestnut gelding with the perfect temperament to join the Henrick family. “Seeing how excited my family was to meet him the day he walked off the trailer and watching them each create their own bond with him over the past year is really what this is all about,” Henricks said. This past year, riders from across the country and from various disciplines and backgrounds set their sights on the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. Following the cancellation of 2020’s event, 2021’s Thoroughbred Makeover combined the entries from 2020 and 2021— including Henricks. At the Makeover, Henricks was most proud of how Ide B A Classic, now known as “Mac,” handled the electric atmosphere of such a large event. “I was worried how he would handle it because it was by far the largest show we had ever taken him to,” she recalled. “He was so calm, cool, and collected the whole time.” The pair competed in both the show hunter and show jumper divisions, with large, competitive class sizes exceeding 65 competitors. Although Mac and Ashlie did not make it to the finale of the makeover, she was more than happy to take home the judges’ feedback to make improvements for the next show season. With her short-term goal of competing in the Mega Makeover now complete, Henricks looks towards her ultimate goal for Mac— to share the ride with her young daughter. “It’s a testament to the fact that these ex-racehorses are 100% capable of learning new skills, starting new careers, and creating unwavering human-animal bonds with new families,” she said. “I never would have imagined the bond we have formed with him could happen this quickly or how fulfilling this whole journey would actually be.”

The 2022 application for accreditation by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is now available on OpenWater and can be accessed by clicking ThoroughbredAftercare.org/Accreditation.

Upon retirement from racing, “Kid”, as he is affectionately known, became a track pony at NYRA, his friendly and easy-going personality making him a good candidate for assisting racehorses on the track.

Season 5 of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s popular live webcam series Foal Patrol is now available online at www.foalpatrol.com. Foal Patrol is a one-of-a-kind collection of live cameras following the daily activities of in-foal mares produced by the National Museum of Racing. Millions of people throughout the world have viewed the popular webcam program since its inaugural season in 2018. The Foal Patrol Season 5 participants are: Elate (in foal to Speightstown at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky.), Spanish Bunny (in foal to Uncle Mo at Gainesway Farm, Lexington, Ky.), Traveling Tiger (in foal to Audible at Safari North at Pauls Mill Farm, Versailles, Ky.), Repeta (in foal to Volatile at Three Chimneys Farm, Versailles, Ky.), and Floripa (in foal to Vekoma at Old Tavern Farm, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). Live footage will expand as the mares approach their expected foaling dates. Season 5 will feature a new education site at www.foalpatrol.com/education to connect Foal Patrol fans of all ages to online resources, videos, and podcasts that begin with breeding and reproduction and span the life of the Thoroughbred, including Just for Kids; our Insights videos for youth considering industry careers; online resources about the health and care of the horse; and the platform of Your Stories for viewers’ photo submissions and stories of how Foal Patrol has inspired them. New content will be added to the site weekly from January through June. A variety of Thoroughbred industry partners have committed to supporting Foal Patrol’s educational efforts with regular content and support throughout Season 5. “One of the many wonderful things about the sport of racing is that it has a great history of its industry partners working together to make projects such as Foal Patrol as successful as possible,” said Cate Masterson, director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. “We’ve received nothing but positive responses from within the racing community about Foal Patrol and we are so grateful for everyone’s contributions to the program.” Featured content partners for Foal Patrol this season include the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Retired Racehorse Project, organizations whose content will focus on the lives of Thoroughbreds once their racing career is concluded. While Foal Patrol centers on the care of in-foal mares, foals, and early foal development, the platform also connects people to information and resources that span the life of the Thoroughbred – from foaling to retirement. “We’re thrilled to partner with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Foal Patrol series to showcase off-track thoroughbreds finding success in the next phase of their lives,” said Alexandra Kokka, the marketing and communications manager for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “Thanks to our network of 82 TAA-accredited organizations across North America, more than 13,700 Thoroughbreds have been affected by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and we can’t wait to share their stories on Foal Patrol.” “We’re looking forward to bringing Foal Patrol fans a closer look at second career opportunities for horses after racing,” said Kirsten Green, interim executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that takes a market-based approach to Thoroughbred aftercare. “#SecondCareerSaturday will explore the next steps in a retired racehorse’s life and the many paths they can take once retired from the track.” Paulick Report is the primary media partner for Foal Patrol season 5. Other industry partners for content or promotion include Amplify Horse Racing, Equibase, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Horse Country, Jockey Club Technology Services, Keeneland Kids Club, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Equine Industry Pipeline, Mill Ridge Farm, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences, and University of Louisville Equine Industry Program. For more information about the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, including upcoming events, please visit www.racingmuseum.org or call (518) 584-0400.

By: NYRA Press Office For Stacie Clark Rogers of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), there are several ways to measure progress in aftercare. One is concrete: following up the TAA’s banner 2021 by continuing to pursue the organization’s proven, long-range strategy in 2022 of raising funds for TAA-accredited aftercare facilities – all geared to re-homing retired racehorses. The other is more personal, best measured by the tales of the racehorses adopted and how they’re thriving in their new careers. For Clark Rogers, the industry’s “success stories” are what she and the others in the aftercare community relish most of all. “Fundraising will continue to be our primary focus because the assistance goes directly to the organizations now caring for the horses,” said Clark Rogers, the TAA’s operations consultant. “But we love hearing the follow-up stories about the horses adopted and how they’re doing. In New York, that means building on a number of successes in what was a great 2021.” The TAA awarded a record $3.7 million in grants in 2021 to 82 of its accredited aftercare organizations comprising approximately 180 facilities in North America, including 10 in New York State. Clark estimates that since the TAA’s inception it has affected approximately 13,700 horses, a number that should grow by more than 3,500 in 2022, which is about the average of the last several years. Among the organization’s highlights in 2021 was the inaugural TAA Day in August at Saratoga Race Course, which generated nationwide attention to the importance and benefits of thoroughbred aftercare. The two-day event on Whitney Weekend raised funds for various TAA-affiliated organizations, and provided significant exposure to aftercare at one of the country’s most prestigious and closely followed meets. “NYRA and the New York horsemen have been great supporters of TAA since our inception (in 2012), but TAA Day at Saratoga was amazing,” said Clark Rogers. “For us, it was a validation that aftercare is an integral part of our industry – and one that embraces the whole diverse racing community. That it happened at Saratoga, with such a large fan base and all the media coverage, was huge.” Backing the TAA in its pursuit of industry-wide funding is the steadfast year-round support of NYRA and its horsemen. Every owner competing at NYRA racetracks donates $10 per start to the TAA, which funds the aftercare organizations that provide homes for retired racehorses. New York’s horsemen also donate 1.5 percent of the purchase price of every horse claimed at a NYRA track to TAA and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s Take the Lead program, which provides preliminary vet exams and treatment, as well as costs related to transportation, rehabilitation or retraining. The recently-concluded Big A fall meet saw 47 total claims made for a total of more than $1.34M, generating in excess of $20,000 for aftercare. Meanwhile, the hard work of accrediting more facilities and re-homing retired racehorses continues. Among the organizations achieving TAA accreditation in 2021 was Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga or THS, which specializes in equine assisted therapy and rescues and retrains retired racehorses for hands-on work with individuals in need. Clark Rogers is soon headed to Spokane, Wash., where she plans to meet with organizers of an equine therapy program for veterans called Down The Stretch. Small wonder that rehoming retired racehorses is an everyday task involving a never-ending number of details for New York-based trainer Rick Schosberg, who is on the TAA board and also runs the Take The Lead retirement program. Schosberg said the Take The Lead program is “rapidly approaching” its 900th horse placed thorough the program, a number it should hit in 2022. “At the moment, I have 12 horses who are transitioning off the track,” Schosberg said. “At any time of the week, we have anywhere from five to 12 horses on our list in different phases of transition. We are very busy and have horses leaving for retirement all the time.” Take The Lead’s goal with each horse is to create a profile and then network with potential aftercare facilities. To do so, the organization gathers information and medical records and ensures that a vet provide a thorough evaluation of each horse for soundness or any lingering injuries. Key is the need to research and find those horses the best fit and career, whether it’s show jumping, dressage, part of a rehabilitation program or as a companion, turned out on the family farm. Working to a retired racehorse’s advantage is what Schosberg called “an innate ability to learn new things.” “[From knowing] the starting gate, the big track, the little track and jogging the right way and the wrong way, they’re already processed for that,” Schosberg said. To make it work, Schosberg, Take The Lead’s executive director, Andy Belfiore, and aftercare coordinator, Kristin Mason, hold weekly conference calls with an eye to where the horses in transition stand. No detail is too small, from evaluating a thoroughbred’s quirks and habits to bringing in a vet for an exam to checking on van schedules to see if there are any slots on an upcoming trip to Saratoga or Florida in which a transitioning horse might catch a ride to its new home. “All in all, it’s a busy week and there are times when we’re inundated [with aftercare work],” said Schosberg. “The funny thing is that with modern technology, there are a lack of parameters, and I’ll get a call about a horse at 7 p.m. or 4 a.m. I tend to do a lot of my aftercare work before training – that’s between 3:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. when I’m headed to the barn. A lot of the answers to my questions come back in ‘now time,’ so I have them by the time training is finished. Things can move along pretty quickly.” Schosberg added that the commitment to aftercare from owners, NYTHA, NYRA and other parts of the industry in New York, combined with the best racing in the country, make New York “better than

TAA-Accredited Organizations Found Way Forward in 2021 By: Alexandra Kokka As another year comes to a close, it’s only natural to feel compelled to reflect on the past 11 months, a year of innovation in Thoroughbred aftercare following the challenges of 2020 when business practices needed to change and events were canceled. Despite the turbulent highs and lows, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance witnessed an array of opportunities for its accredited organizations and aftercare partners to advance initiatives. That’s worth celebrating because it’s easy to get bogged down in the weeds of aftercare and lose sight of the victories being achieved. At the same time, it’s important to understand that the work of effective, sustainable aftercare is not complete. In this year of transition, TAA-accredited organizations reported varied results in hosting fundraisers and events. Location played a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of events, with COVID-19 restrictions varying state-to-state and country-to country. After a bleak year of shutdowns, Southern California’s Win Place Home sought celebration in support of its Thoroughbreds that took the form of an outdoor cabaret, complete with food trucks, wine, great music, and, of course, a few horse selfies. “We found that people are not willing to donate a ton this year, and we’ve had a hard time raising money,” said Win Place Home founder CJ Wilson. “We had to cancel our annual silent auction and gala and our drag queen bingo event that we normally hold at the beginning of the year. But, we did start a cabaret for the first time outside among the horses. Everyone had a blast, and we hope to do it every year. We didn’t have a ton of people wanting to come out in person, but we made it socially distant and safe.” Canada, in particular, held fast to restrictions on in-person gatherings. That made fundraising events a challenge. Thanks to an idea Bev Strauss from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue shared during the monthly TAA Organization Committee meeting, Ontario-based LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society had great success hosting an engaging fundraiser. “The one new fundraiser we held was a virtual graduate horse race leading up to the Queen’s Plate,” said LongRun chairperson and founding member Vicki Pappas. “It went far better than expected and raised over $15,000. I believe people have been more than happy to help us out during the pandemic, and we have received a record number of adoption applications.” On top of an already difficult climate for nonprofit fundraising, tragedy struck TA A-accredited Equine Rescue of Aiken in April 2021 when its barn caught fire, resulting in the loss of more than $100,000 worth of supplies. Thankfully, no lives were lost.   Equine Rescue of Aiken continues to dedicate itself to the community that supported the farm in its hour of need. Six months after the devastating fire, the rescue was used as a clinic site for six counties of South Carolina authorities to learn about identifying and rescuing at-risk equines. “The fire has brought on many challenges for us, but we always face challenges in this industry and we just don’t back down,” said Equine Rescue of Aiken president Jim Rhodes. Despite the unpredictable year that TA A-accredited organizations faced, many found creative solutions to host fundraisers and engage their communities. But not all 81 TAA-accredited organizations had the time and manpower to host new events. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s ability to give grants ranging from $15,000 to upward of $170,000 is all the more meaningful during a time when aftercare organizations are struggling to maintain usual funding sources. These TAA contributions are by no means enough, but they are a very good start to sharing the responsibility and putting the Thoroughbreds first. As protocols were relaxed in some areas, the TAA was thrilled to represent its accredited organizations as the charity partner at major events such as the Pegasus World Cup Day, Preakness Stakes (G1), National Horseplayers Championship, Virginia Derby Day, and the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. “Partnering with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on major race days not only displays a united front that aftercare is not an afterthought but also allows other industry participants the opportunity to collaborate and give back to the Thoroughbreds,” said TAA funding and events manager Emily Scandore. This year, for the second straight year, TVG presented a $100,000 check to the TAA following the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1). TAA shared the funds with its California partner CARMA. Racing events returned with a renewed hunger for effective Thoroughbred aftercare funding solutions. Many racetracks, including Tampa Bay Downs, New York Racing Association tracks, Colonial Downs, and the Kentucky tracks help generate contributions to the TAA throughout their race meets by committing a small per-start fee from horsemen, matched by the tracks. 1/ST Racing’s Gulfstream Park and the Maryland Jockey Club each hosted Canter for the Cause events in support of the TAA, among the numerous other funding initiatives the track owner has in place to funnel money to the TAA throughout the year. “Maryland Jockey Club, The Stronach Group, and 1/ST all believe aftercare is very important to our industry,” said MJC vice president of racing development Georganne Hale. “The TAA is a very important organization in the racing industry. We must all support the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, so they can make sure our horses are taken care of after their careers are over. Having events like Canter for the Cause brings funding and awareness to the TAA and the aftercare organizations that they support.” In 2021 industry aftercare partners showcased retired racehorses like never before, highlighting their increasing market value and popularity in a series of events and horse shows. For the second year in a row, CARMA held CARMAthon, a virtual fundraiser hosted by TVG. The virtual Thoroughbred aftercare fundraiser was so successful it received donations for a week following the event, resulting in more than $140,000. The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program provided the structure for which horse shows across the country

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Nov. 18 that $3.7 million will be awarded as grants to 82 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations that currently hold TAA accreditation.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced today that 29 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations have been awarded accreditation.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is the Official Aftercare Partner of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is also an Official Charity of the Breeders’ Cup, along with aftercare partner California Retirement Management Account (CARMA). During the World Championships, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present its Grade 2 namesake race, formerly the Marathon Stakes. In addition, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has partnered with TVG to be a part of the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), the feature race on Future Stars Friday Nov. 5. “We are delighted that the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has joined with us again as our official aftercare partner of the World Championships, and by continuing their sponsorship of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes” said Dora Delgado, Breeders’ Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “As a foundation supporter, Breeders’ Cup salutes the exemplary work of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in approving aftercare organizations in the retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds following their racing careers.” “It’s a privilege to have the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance partnered with the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile again,” said Andrew Moore, Vice President Racing TVG/FanDuel Group. “The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance does tremendous work and racehorse aftercare is a very important cause to the TVG team and all our viewers.” The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will have a presence on-site at Del Mar alongside CARMA. CARMA works with all 11 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations in the state of California to safely transition horses from California racetracks into the next phase of their lives. “Hosting the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar provides the perfect opportunity to highlight the strength of California Thoroughbred aftercare nonprofits,” said Lucinda Lovitt, Executive Director of CARMA. “CARMA is excited to partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at yet another Breeders’ Cup World Championships.” As a seed money donor, the Breeders’ Cup has been a supporter of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance since inception. “We are once again thrilled to be the Official Aftercare Partner of the Breeders’ Cup, who was a founding member,” said Vice President Jeff Bloom. “The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is our industry’s premier showcase and an enormous opportunity for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to highlight the importance of Thoroughbred aftercare and the financial support we provide to the more than 81 accredited organizations throughout the country.” Photo: Bill Denver/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup/Cal Sport Media