Aftercare Editorials

The life of a racehorse comes full circle, thanks to the many individuals who saw the potential in one retired Thoroughbred. Anyone in the horse industry can attest that no matter how much thoughtful planning and hard work are put into caring for a horse, things can change in an instant—for better or for worse. Luckily, sometimes unexpected changes are just an opportunity to gain a different perspective. Crosscheck Carlos could have been a great racehorse, but through a series of good and bad events, he was given the opportunity to experience life from a new point of view. Bred by Allen Guillotte Jr., Crosscheck Carlos was foaled in 2015 out of stakes-placed Weepnomoremylady (by Summer Squall). A half brother to Louisiana Cup Distaff Stakeswinner Flower Lady (by Flower Alley), Crosscheck Carlos was acquired by Erik Johnson and Dennis O’Neill at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-year-olds in training auction for $37,000. The son of Custom for Carlos made most of his eight career starts for trainer Doug O’Neill, under the ownership of Johnson’s ERJ Racing, Slam Dunk Racing, and Neil Haymes. True to his Louisiana-bred roots, in his second start Crosscheck Carlos won the $100,000 D. S. Shine Young Futurity at Evangeline Downs. “Crosscheck was a very willing, athletic, and competitive horse; the type to separate himself from the pack,” Doug O’Neill recalled. “He was a real pleasure to work alongside.” Unfortunately, after finishing second best in his 3-year-old debut, the stakes winner suffered a career-ending sesamoid fracture. Despite the uncertainty a diagnosis of that severity can bring, Crosscheck Carlos had all the right people on his side. “You take on the responsibility and the honor to work alongside these amazing horses and you take care of them every day they’re with you,” O’Neill said. “When they no longer race due to ability or injury, it’s our responsibility to help them move forward in the next chapter of their life.” Unbeknownst to “Carlos,” he’d already caught the eye of Brooke Abbard during his time on the track, and she was ready to give Carlos the soft landing he needed to get back on his feet. “I took Carlos from Doug O’Neill right after his injury,” Abbard said. “I specifically asked for him because I knew him from the barns. I manage a racing stable at the track, so I’m around all the racehorses all the time and Doug O’Neill is one of our trainers.” Abbard transported the 3-year-old to her barn off of the track where they began the long road to recovery. In time, Abbard hoped Carlos would make a dependable trail partner. “You never know how the sesamoid is going to heal; if it’s going to heal perfectly or if they’re not going to be able to have a second career,” Abbard said. “He stayed in a stall in my barn. I hand-walked him three times a day, wrapped it and unwrapped it every day. A lot of work went into healing him successfully.” After nearly two years with Abbard, Carlos’ playful, intuitive nature shone bright. It was apparent the gelding was ready for his next adventure. “Carlos was a special horse,” she said. “He would help me rebed his stall every day. I would just throw a bag of shavings in there and he would undo the bag and fluff his own stall for himself.” Abbard did more than just heal his injury, she ensured Carlos was prepared to find his forever family. Enter Manon Prat, wife of successful jockey Flavien Prat. Before moving to the United States, Manon Prat grew up in France, competing in show jumping and eventing, but her passion for the track eventually took over and she made the decision to pursue exercise riding full-time. She worked on the backstretch as an exercise rider both in France and the U.S. for nearly 10 years. After the birth of their first child in 2018, Prat made the tough choice to quit galloping and focus more on her family. Prat felt at a loss without riding on a daily basis, so the new mom decided to trade in morning breezes on the track for something a little slower—an off-track Thoroughbred. “Horses are my life; that’s something I need, I’m not whole if I don’t have that,” Prat explained. “My husband told me, ‘If you want a horse, I know you like jumping, so maybe you should start jumping again.’ Then, we started looking to get a horse.” Prat began getting back into the swing of English riding with fellow racetracker Maria Falgione, who was retraining two off-track Thoroughbreds and would have Prat out to ride with her. Around the end of 2018, two worlds collided when Abbard sent a certain recently rehabbed stakes winner to Falgione for her to consider buying. With two horses already on her plate, Falgione called Prat, suspecting Crosscheck Carlos might be just what she is looking for. “Maria had two horses at the time that I would ride,” Prat recalled. “They were nice horses, but for whatever reason, I had no attachment to them and they were for sale as well. But you know that kind of thing where you just get on a horse and get that feeling? When I got on Carlos, I really, really liked him. He’s everything I was looking for in a horse.” Crosscheck Carlos was home. One can’t help but admire the synchronicity. Prat and Carlos each went through huge changes in their livelihoods over the past two years, involving changes to their physical and mental selves, but each leaned on the connections they had made along the way, ultimately leading to one kismet moment. As if that weren’t serendipitous enough, when Flavien asked his wife the name of the bay Thoroughbred who had captured her heart, another connection was realized. “Flavien was the first jockey Carlos had on his back and the jockey he won his first race with,” Manon Prat explained. “That was pretty cool because we had no idea

Few in racing can say they have accomplished more for retired racehorses than the late John Hettinger. After nearly two decades working abroad–first in corporate sales and marketing, then in real estate development where he ultimately made his fortune–Hettinger and his wife, Betty, returned in 1973 to take over Akindale Farm for John’s father. Located just north of New York City, Hettinger transformed the 55-acre farm into an 800-acre Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation complete with a training track, shedrows, turnout paddocks, and more. The Yale University graduate campaigned numerous homebred multiple graded stakes winners; however, more notable than his influence as a breeder were his contributions to the sport as a whole. “John was essentially a white knight in 1991 when he and his family became the largest shareholders in Fasig-Tipton as it underwent restructuring,” said Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning. “John, as a human being, a shareholder, and a board member had more integrity and understanding of what’s best for the industry than most. He was an exceptional person of unbelievable character, of unbelievable guidance, and always wanted to make sure things were done the right way. He was a fantastic human being and a major influence on Fasig-Tipton and me personally.” Two years before Hettinger’s death in 2008, he transitioned 200 acres of Akindale Farm to be a sanctuary and an adoption facility for retired racehorses and formalized a succession plan to ensure its continued operation long after his life. “He didn’t just talk the talk; he walked the walk,” Browning said. “During his planning for when he passed away, it was important for John to make sure that Akindale was utilized for retired horses. John also provided financial support for the aftercare program after he had passed. He was a true believer who took action to support what he believed and what he said.” Thanks to such planning, Hettinger’s intuitive vision and unwavering devotion to off-track Thoroughbreds live on as hallmarks of Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue. Hettinger was awarded a Special Eclipse Award in 2000 and eventually was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 for his numerous initiatives to support aftercare organizations and the off-track Thoroughbreds they serve. In 2000 he spearheaded the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s inception of the Racehorse Adoption Referral Program, and in 2001 he founded Blue Horse Charities. “I think John was the godfather; the person who really took the torch and raised the bar in terms of the industry’s understanding of aftercare,” Browning said. “He was a very vocal opponent of slaughter in the United States. He cared deeply about horses and was a founding father of the aftercare movement.” Over the past decade the racing industry has faced many challenges, especially those relating to the welfare and aftercare of its equine athletes. The development of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in 2012 is one of the industry’s leading achievements and is a testament to the shared desire to ensure a safety net. For industry participants interested in moving these efforts forward, a detailed succession plan is a vital component. It’s a requirement of TAA-accredited charities. “The main reason we ask for proof of a succession plan is, we want to make sure that the horses have someone who can take care of them if the person who oversees the organization is gone–whether through sickness, death, or whatever the circumstance–if it means they have to be off for a certain period of time,” said TAA accreditation and grants manager Janice Towles. “At the end of the day, you definitely want to make sure that someone else knows what’s going on besides the main person.” Towles said such planning is especially important with smaller operations. “What we’ve found is that a lot of these operations are a one-person show and everything that they knew, they had in their head,” Towles said. “Unfortunately, if they weren’t there or an emergency broke out, they took that information with them. The biggest thing is that the organization does not become awash because nobody knows the operational side of things if the head or the founder is not there.” In general, there are a few key components for consideration when composing a comprehensive succession plan for an aftercare charity: defined roles for all staff, board members, and volunteers; short-term vs. long-term absences; planned vs. unplanned absences; and loss of a facility. Chain of command succession, cross-training staff, and maintaining an up-to-date, detailed operational guidebook are considered TAA best practices. Located in Greenwich, N.Y., ACTT Naturally was founded in 2013 by lifelong animal advocate and exercise rider Valerie Buck. Despite having a comprehensive background working with on- and off-track Thoroughbreds, Buck hadn’t yet considered the necessity of a succession plan prior to applying for TAA accreditation. “When I was filling out the accreditation application for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, they wanted a plan of succession, and I had to Google what a plan of succession was,” Buck recalled. “I applied for accreditation in 2019, so that’s when I put our first succession plan together.” Having realized the toll her absence could have on the horses in her care, Buck and the ACTT Naturally team worked quickly to develop a plan. Thankfully, the organization already had the necessary reliable partners, and now everyone knows what the plan of succession is, should it ever be needed. “It’s not like you can just close the shades for a while and walk away– [ACTT Naturally] is a constant living, breathing machine and the animals need to be cared for daily,” Buck said. “If something happens to me, there needs to be a plan to keep this organization going to continue rescuing horses. We sat down with the board and some of our core volunteers and put together a plan to make sure that if something ever happened that these horses are safe.” In this age, many horses live upward of 25 years. The residents of TAA-accredited Our Mims Retirement Haven had more than modern medicine to keep them bright-eyed

If you own a Thoroughbred in training, you most likely have heard of the many aftercare options available to you and your racing community. With 82 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)-accredited organizations across North America and many supporting triage programs at major racetracks, the transfer of a retiring Thoroughbred can be seamless. One concern in this process is ensuring a retired horse will not be entered in a race under new connections. Often a retired horse will be transferred from the track to a trainer or an organization, but the foal certificate is left active. This misstep is a liability for the racing connections, but more importantly, it can be a threat to the horse’s safety. There are protocols in place to prevent this from happening. All TAA-accredited organizations have an adoption contract, which states the horse is being sold as “Not for racing.” However, the process that officially ensures the horse’s Jockey Club certificate will be made inactive for racing must be filed through The Jockey Club’s Registry Office. The Jockey Club registrar Rick Bailey explained the “Sold as Retired From Racing” process, which notifies North American racetracks of the retired status for Thoroughbreds. “If an owner wishes to mark their certificates as ‘Retired From Racing,’ there’s a process to do that for Thoroughbreds that are registered with The Jockey Club,” Bailey said. “It involves returning the completed form, which includes the notarized signature of both parties, photographs so that we can verify the identity of the horse, and The Jockey Club Certificate of Foal Registration to our office so that it can be recorded and stamped accordingly.” All of the necessary information and the “Sold as Retired From Racing” form are readily available online at www.registry.jockeyclub.com/registry. “Some tracks are more aware of the retired process than others—certainly the aftercare organizations are much more aware and a good number of the ‘Retired From Racing’ horses that we receive are from aftercare facilities,” Bailey said. A seasoned veteran of the “Sold as Retired From Racing” process, TAA-accredited Second Stride executive director Kim Smith shares her perspective as an aftercare facility taking in recently retired Thoroughbreds who still need their TJC papers to be stamped as inactive. “Second Stride transitioned 143 Thoroughbred sport horses to new homes last year for many types of post-racing uses and jobs,” Smith said. “We received foal certificates from the donating connections either digitally or in hard copy for approximately 40% of the horses.” TAA-accredited organizations such as Second Stride sometimes face a challenge in tracking down the Certificate of Foal Registration. “Often the papers are at a racetrack already closed for the meet. They’re left behind or transferred to the next track,” Smith said. “We often hear they were left in a van driver’s glove box. “So far this year we have had four out of 20 horses arrive with foal papers and a notarized form ready for executing to The Jockey Club ‘Sold as Retired From Racing’ database,” Smith said. “This year we started sending The Jockey Club ‘Sold as Retired From Racing’ form link to all our donors; we ask it be executed upon entry.” With the introduction of digital certificates, beginning with the 2018 foal crop, thankfully this issue is on the decline as Thoroughbreds with paper certificates age out of racing. Aside from the ‘Sold as Retired From Racing’ form, TAA-accredited organizations take additional precautions to provide a safety net for horses adopted from their organization. “We provide strict ‘No Race’ language in our adoption contracts,” Smith said. “Second Stride places our horses in the Equibase Virtual Stable Mail to be notified if a horse has published works or races. We then can proactively try and find out what is going on for any alerts. Usually it is a name similar to that of another horse currently working. This past Thanksgiving morning we had 2018 Kentucky Derby (Presented by Woodford Reserve [G1]) runner My Boy Jack show up with a published work. He was transitioned through our program and his adopter actually allows us to use him as an ambassador horse on tours, so we knew right where he was. We were able to reassure the prior connections that he was well and grazing on the farm.” Many TAA-accredited organizations also are careful to safeguard their adopted horses from going to slaughter by having clear language in their adoption contracts. Furthermore, the adopter agrees to include the same “No race or slaughter” language in any future sale contracts. “The adopted horse is placed with a lifetime ‘Not for race or slaughter use’ clause,” Smith said. “The adopter agrees that neither they, nor any future person or owner, shall race or slaughter the adopted horse, sell the adopted horse for race or slaughter use, or cause the horse to become available for purchase at an auction that could place the horse at risk of slaughter or race use.” While it is trickier to reclaim an OTTB at-risk of slaughter, Kim Smith’s team has a solid plan in place if an adopted horse shows up on the track. “The ‘bat’ phone starts ringing,” she said. “We would immediately notify the stewards of the related tracks, the track ownership, the track vets, and The Jockey Club. We can readily provide our paperwork and vet work to establish the situation and request the horse be put on the steward’s/track’s ‘No race’ list. We can also request that our attorney submit a ‘cease and desist’ letter to the person(s) in question, as well as to the other related parties. Our contract language also has provisions for return of the horse to Second Stride, and legal work can be started for that as well.” While TAA-accredited organizations do their best to provide a safety net for our industry’s athletes with or without the “Sold as Retired From Racing” form, the nonprofits end up spending considerable time, money, and resources that could otherwise go toward caring for more horses. “We find horsemen and owners are making a mental

This year the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance celebrates 10 years of service since being established by the industry—an anniversary that offers racing an opportunity to make actionable goals for continued support of Thoroughbreds. Here is a look at where TAA has been in those years and where it might be going, with help from racing and aftercare industry veterans: Jeff Bloom, TAA president and managing director of Bloom Racing; Richard Schosberg, director and aftercare chair of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, president of TAKE THE LEAD, and TAA board member; Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program; Jen Roytz, former executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project; Anna Ford, Thoroughbred program director for TAA-accredited New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program; Lisa Molloy, program director of TAA-accredited ReRun; Laurie Lane, cofounder and president of TAA-accredited Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption & Placement; and Kim Smith, founder of TAA-accredited Second Stride. Q: Why is there a need for industry oversight of aftercare? Werner: The conversations about aftercare really started for me around 2009 or 2010. There was some retraining, retirement, and adoption going on and organizations like Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, New Vocations, and Thoroughbred Charities of America were doing good work. But, the overall aftercare picture looked a bit piecemeal with gaps in services and areas of the country. And, it was not supported in any large part by the racing industry. As social media continued its rise in popularity, more and more cases of “rescue organizations” needing to be rescued began to appear. The general public became more aware of the fate of Thoroughbreds once their racing careers were complete. It was apparent that a multi-faceted solution was needed, which included accreditation of organizations providing aftercare, a funding source from industry constituents for those organizations to do their work, and incentive programs for Thoroughbreds in a second career. In the years that followed, this was accomplished through the formation of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Retired Racehorse Project, and numerous other regional and track-based organizations focused on supporting organizations providing aftercare. Molloy: Prior to the formation of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, there was a time when there were so many rescues and programs operating without any guidance, provisions, or checks and balances. This created issues for those wanting to donate their horses and those wanting to donate money. Finding a way to responsibly retire a horse and ensure an empathetic and compassionate retirement with viable second career options really was a difficult path to navigate for an owner. The processes that are in place, especially using Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations working in partnership with racetrack programs like TAKE THE LEAD, provide transparency and prevent horses from falling through the cracks. Q: In the past decade what have you learned about the versatility of the Thoroughbred? Bloom: Over the last 10 years we have seen numerous examples and heartfelt stories of re-trained, re-homed, and re-purposed off-the-track racehorses. From assisting with therapeutic care for mentally and physically challenged children and adults, to full-blown sporting events such as polo, dressage, and eventing, to backyard trail riding, participating in television and movies and everything in-between, the Thoroughbred racehorse has proven to be incredibly kind, intelligent, versatile, and durable for use following their racing careers. Werner: I am fortunate to see on a daily basis how versatile the Thoroughbred is through my work with the Thoroughbred Incentive Program. We have Thoroughbreds participating in and excelling in hunter/jumpers, eventing, dressage, English and Western pleasure, barrel racing, ranch work, endurance, working equitation, therapeutic riding, equine-assisted therapy, mounted police, polo, polocrosse, competitive trail, recreational riding, and even skijoring. I am sure there are more that I am missing. Lane: It was the best kept secret. For those of us who worked with Thoroughbreds, we knew the versatility and the many incredible talents and tasks our Thoroughbreds could achieve just given the chance.   Q: Do you think there has been a new interest in the Thoroughbred as a sport horse? Roytz: A thousand times yes. One of the most meaningful statistics that comes out of the data we collect from our Thoroughbred Makeover competitors each year is the ratio of first-time competitors versus repeat participants. Each year a significant portion of the competitors at the Thoroughbred Makeover are competing at the event, and often taking on the retraining of a Thoroughbred, for the first time. RRP’s mission is a bit different from most other aftercare organizations in that it focuses on expanding the market and increasing demand for Thoroughbreds in equestrian sports rather than doing hands-on re-training and re-homing. I strongly believe it takes both approaches to aftercare to be successful. The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Incentive Program and the TAKE2 program, both of which offer Thoroughbred-specific shows, horse show classes, and prizes throughout the country, as well as TIP’s recreational riding prizes and incentives, are other great examples of ways to incentivize equestrians to actively choose Thoroughbreds over other breeds for equestrian sports. Q: What do you think the factors in this have been that have helped a new interest in the use of the Thoroughbred? Roytz: Programs like the Retired Racehorse Project, The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program, TAKE2 show series, and others that incentivize equestrians to compete on Thoroughbreds is a major driver in garnering new interest for Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. I think adjusting our messaging as an industry will continue to help to appeal to equestrians. By positioning Thoroughbreds not as “retired racehorses” (which naturally insinuates a conclusion to their use/usefulness) but as “Thoroughbred sport horses” or “sport horse prospects” will make them more appealing to a non-racing equestrian audience as it focuses on these horses’ potential in new sports, the sports they are being marketed for, and that they will likely spend a more significant portion of their life doing. Q: What have been some of the most important developments of Thoroughbred Aftercare in the last 10 years? Ford: In the last 10 years

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 first, and crucial, step toward a successful, responsible post-racing retirement for a horse is finding the right place for the horse to land off the track. And that’s where triage programs working together with TAA-accredited organizations come in.

As the aftercare movement grows, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations especially are gaining momentum. Three in particular have attributed their TAA accreditation status to helping this expansion.

“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man” is ringing true more than ever in Thoroughbred aftercare.

Successful Thoroughbred aftercare organizations run like well-oiled machines. Wanting to help horses is one thing, but having the industry knowledge and business acumen to effectively place racehorses safely into new homes while being efficient with funding is quite another.