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All Posts & News Press Releases Success Stories Aftercare Editorials Supporter Features Inspector Spotlights   Previous PostNext Post Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Successful Week at Preakness Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Successful Week at Preakness FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 24, 2023 News Tags:1/st, 1/ST Racing, America’s Best Racing, Beyond the Wire, Black Eyed Susan, Black-Eyed Susan Day, Maryland Jockey Club, Pimlico Race Course, Preakness Stakes, TAA, TAA-accredited, Thoroughbred Aftercare, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance LEXINGTON, KY — The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance had a successful week in Maryland during the Preakness week celebrations. Accredited aftercare awareness was promoted with several on-site activations, as well as an exceptional turn out for the America’s Best Racing’s Pre-Preakness Party. The ABR Pre-Preakness Party to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance kicked off the week at Mt. Washington Tavern. A total of $25,000 was raised from a silent auction, ticket sales, and donations. There were over 160 people in attendance throughout the night including owners, trainers, fans, and industry participants. “It was an absolute honor to once again partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on what has turned into a must-attend event on the racing calendar every year,” said Dan Tordjman, Manager, Business Development/Sponsorships, America’s Best Racing. “We want to thank everyone who supported Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at the party and via the online auction. We look forward to seeing this event grow next year and beyond.” A combined effort from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance partners 1/ST RACING, Maryland Jockey Club, and Pimlico Race Course put accredited aftercare on the frontline throughout Preakness week. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance presented Race #8 on Black-Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 19. The winning horse, #2 Fort Warren, was trained by Brittany T. Russell, ridden by jockey Sheldon Russell, and owned by Madeket Stables LLC, Starlight Racing, SF Racing LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, and Catherine Donovan. On Saturday, May 20, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance presented the Sir Barton Stakes sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to Benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Paragon Farms, founded by Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Brandon and Diannah Perry, entered into an agreement to annually donate $100,000 to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as the title sponsor of the Sir Barton Stakes for three consecutive years beginning with Preakness 147. The winning horse, #4 Arabian Lion, was trained by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance supporter Bob Baffert and ridden by jockey John Velazquez. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc, Arabian Lion was also the winner of the Best Turned Out Horse Award for Race #4. “Diannah and I are privileged to be able to advance the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s mission, with our sponsorship of the Sir Barton Stakes,” said Brandon and Diannah Perry, Paragon Farms. “We are honored to be able to champion the rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of these amazing Thoroughbreds that give all of us so much joy. To see the horses that give everything to their owners, trainers, grooms, and fans be able to enjoy life after the race track is truly rewarding.” On both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Day, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance hosted the Best Turned Out Awards in the Pimlico Race Course winner’s circle for each race sponsored by Beyond the Wire and Fidelity First. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance also had a booth where race fans and participants could learn more about accredited aftercare and take home branded merchandise and race memorabilia in exchange for donations. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Operations Consultant, Stacie Clark Rogers, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance President, Jeffrey Bloom, continued to promote accredited aftercare through interviews with BloodHorse and America’s Best Racing. “The inclusion of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in the Preakness underscores the significance of aftercare within the Thoroughbred Industry,” said Stacie Clark Rogers. “We truly appreciate the ongoing support from ABR, 1/ST RACING, and Maryland Jockey Club as well as the ongoing endorsement from the winning connections and the generous sponsorship of Paragon Farm, Beyond the Wire, and Fidelity First.  These collaborative efforts serve as a reminder of our collective commitment to prioritizing the welfare of the horse.” About Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Based in Lexington, KY, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members. Since inception in 2012, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has granted more than $31.9 million to accredited aftercare organizations. Currently 86 aftercare organizations comprised of approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation. To learn more about Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org. Contact Samantha Smith 859-224-2882 ssmith@thoroughbredaftercare.org Emily Dresen 352-362-6934 edresen@thoroughbredaftercare.org Share This Release  

America’s Best Racing (ABR) announced today that its seventh annual Pre-Preakness Party will return on Wednesday, May 18, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), which accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations around the country, will be the beneficiary of all tickets sold. A silent auction will also be offered, with all proceeds benefitting the TAA and Beyond the Wire, a Maryland-based aftercare organization. “We’re thrilled to again be a beneficiary of this party, along with our friends at Beyond the Wire, and we’re grateful for the continued support from America’s Best Racing,” TAA Operations Consultant Stacie Clark Rogers said. “We can’t wait to kick off a great week of racing with this can’t-miss event.” The party, which was launched by ABR in 2014, has become the unofficial Preakness Stakes week kickoff event for racing fans. In past years, connections of Preakness runners, jockeys, and various other personalities have attended the event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with well-known racing handicappers who will be in attendance to share their thoughts and insights on the Preakness Stakes. Tickets are now on sale at Eventbrite for $25 (tickets will cost $35 on site). Admission includes one drink, a light buffet of bar snacks and appetizers, and entry into a drawing for a door prize of two tickets to the 2022 Preakness Stakes on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course. The silent auction will feature items from ABR partners Christine A. Moore Millinery and Old Smoke Clothing Co., in addition to rare racing memorabilia and autographed collectibles. “We are proud to bring back the pre-Preakness festivities again this year and owe a lot of thanks to event supporters and sponsors who’ve enabled us to do it,” said Dan Tordjman, America’s Best Racing’s manager of partnerships and sponsorships. “ABR remains committed to putting the horse first by shining a spotlight on exceptional foundations like the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Beyond the Wire that do so much in the name of Thoroughbred aftercare.” DETAILS Who: Open to all What: America’s Best Racing 2022 Pre-Preakness Party to benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Beyond the Wire When: Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 7 p.m. ET Where: Mt. Washington Tavern; 5700 Newbury St., Baltimore, MD 21209 Tickets: $25 online or $35 if you purchase on site (all proceeds benefit TAA). Tickets can be purchased in advance on Eventbrite: Click here to purchase tickets

The homebred son of Super Saver, Totalitario made his racing debut as a three-year-old at Finger Lakes Racetrack for Dr. Rafael Lopez, under trainer Rafael Rohena. After breaking his maiden at Laurel Park as a four-year-old, the Kentucky-bred was claimed by Erin McElwee, the Maryland Jockey Club director of facilities. “I took a job for The Maryland Jockey Club in 2017 and started a string here with trainer Kieron Magee,” McElwee said. “Kieron’s wife, Kelly called me one day about a horse she liked that was entered the next day. I saw he ran in New York and was going short but when they brought him to Maryland, they tried him long and he seemed to like that better. At the time I didn’t have any horses so I figured why not, this will be fun. The day I claimed him he won and I was so excited to see the progression he was making.” McElwee recalled meeting Totalitario, or “Toto,” for the first time. The chestnut gelding surprised her in more ways than one, but what surprised her most of all was his big, yet easy-going personality. “Toto has two personalities: Toto the lazy wanna be pony horse and Totalitario the competitive racehorse,” McElwee said. “As soon as he was in the paddock he was different. I remember looking at him and thinking– wow I might get second or third today. We ended up winning that day with one of the most confident horses I will ever own. He even almost set a track record that day, he ran 1:34.77 and the record is 1:34.2.” McElwee and Magee saw Toto through 2019 and the beginning of 2020 before he started to show signs of losing interest in his job. Instead of being eager for morning workouts, Toto preferred socializing at the gap and ponying horses back and forth. McElwee knew the racing chapter of his life was coming to a close. “At the end of the two years we saw his interest decline,” she said “He would want to stay with the ponies and outrider more and more in the morning. He would run a good race and then not try the next. I knew the time was coming for his retirement. So I talked to Kieron and Kelly and we made the decision to retire him.” McElwee and Kieron made the decision to retire Toto to Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)-accredited Foxie G Foundation by way of Beyond the Wire with a race record of 4-7-3 and earnings over $122,000. McElwee’s decision to retire the gelding sound and healthy provided Toto the opportunity to start a new career, but McElwee worried for her beloved four-legged friend all the same and was intent on keeping a close eye on him, wherever his next career may take him. “Owning a racehorse is the most expensive but rewarding experience of someone’s life if they embrace it,” McElwee said. “Retirement is part of their career and as an owner you always need to be emotionally and financially preparing for it. The key is to retire them when they will be set up for success in the transition. As an industry there are so many great programs out there to assist in their retirement. But as responsible owners we need to complement that with fiscal and medical support.” In March 2021, Christine Cook was working as a nurse on the front lines of the pandemic when she got a call from the Foxie G Foundation founder, Laurie Calhoun. Calhoun knew prior to the pandemic Cook had been interested in competing in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover on a Foxie G Foundation horse, and she had the perfect one in mind for Cook. Despite being overwhelmed by the stress of working in healthcare during the pandemic, when Calhoun insisted she had found her ‘the one,’ Cook could not resist the temptation. “She said I really needed to meet [Totalitario],” Cook recalled. “I was immediately enamored with his athleticism and work ethic, and eventually fell completely head over heels for him.” Cook adopted Toto, and shortly thereafter the two began his retraining. Over the summer, the pair won champion at Toto’s first hunter show and went cross-country schooling at Fair Hill in preparation for the fall. When October–and the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover–came, it was time to showcase the culmination of their training. Cook entered Toto in both show jumping and eventing. Between the two divisions, they would compete against over 100 other Thoroughbreds. Cook recalls feeling nervous and worried about letting her new partner down in such a large atmosphere. “I did not ride my best, but he took me around the ring and remembered everything I taught him,” Cook said. “I sort of broke out into tears a little while exiting the ring because I was so proud of him.” Her faith in the gelding was well placed as they ended up finishing the makeover as the third highest amateur in show jumping. “Toto is absolutely wonderful,” she said. “I have worked with so many Thoroughbreds that I’ve loved, but after a year into our partnership I still feel giddy whenever I even think about [him].” Looking to the future, Cook plans to explore just all that Toto is capable of. Her years of experience with Thoroughbreds has proven the versatility of the breed, so she and Toto will continue training and competing in jumpers, eventing, and show hunters, but will also begin fox hunting next season– a challenge she is excited to tackle. “I love Toto so much,” she said. “He always challenges me and I know that if I put in the work he’ll be there for me when I need it.”

Melissa Barber instantly fell in love with Zesty Zar when she saw the son of Tapizar on the website of TAA-accredited New Vocations.

More than 250 horses retired from racing through Beyond the Wire’s placement of horses into TAA-accredited organizations.

Devil’s Passion retired from racing at 5 and then retired from his second career as a pony horse at 20. The son of Saucy Token was ready to slow down, but wasn’t ready to stop working as he began his third career at TAA-accredited Brook Hill.

The Maryland-bred son of MGSW Petionville sustained a fractured sesamoid and was retired through Beyond the Wire, but as since healed and now competes in local shows.

Born with the makings of a great racehorse, by Unbridled’s Song and out of a stakes-placed daughter of Malibu Moon, life on the track wasn’t for him and he retired with a 29-3-4-3 record.

America’s Best Racing’s Pre-Preakness party sponsored by Sagamore Racing will feature a large silent auction to benefit the TAA and Maryland’s Beyond the Wire. This action packed event will be held Wednesday, May 15th, 2019 at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore. Thanks to the generous donations from our industry supporters there will be over 30 items offered ranging from custom bourbons, racing apparel, art, and collectible memorabilia. Preview the silent auction items below and get your ticket today! Tickets are now on sale at eventbrite.com for $20 (tickets will cost $30 on site). The cost of admission includes one drink, a light buffet of bar snacks and appetizers, access to the Preakness Preview panel, and entry into a drawing for a door prize of two tickets to the 2019 Preakness Stakes on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. See photos from the event. Racing Memorabilia Bernardini Halter Halter worn by 2006 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner and champion 3-year-old colt Bernardini. The son of A.P. Indy counts the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), the Travers (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), and the Withers (G3) among his scores. He stands at Darley. Donated by Darley & Jim Bob Rose California Chrome Halter & Saddle Towel Shadow Box Halter worn by dual classic winner and two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome. The multiple grade 1 winner stands at Taylor Made. Shadow box includes a quarter-size Kentucky Derby saddle towel replica and signed certificate of authenticity. Donated by Taylor Made Ghostzapper Halter Halter worn by 2004 Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Ghostzapper. The son of Awesome Again earned more than $3 million and won six graded stakes including four grade 1s. He stands at Adena Springs Kentucky and has sired five champions. Donated by Adena Springs Silent Name (JPN) Halter Halter worn by Canada’s 2018 leading sire Silent Name (JPN). The graded stakes-winning son of Sunday Silence has sired of eight black-type stakes winners and has $3.4 million in progeny earnings. He stands at Adena Springs North. Donated by Adena Springs 2015 Alibi Breakfast Saddle Towel and Preakness Program Signed saddle towel and Preakness Stakes program from 2015, won by Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah, presented in a custom shadowbox. Donated by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance & Jim Bob Rose Signed 2019 NBC Kentucky Oaks Bat Bat used in televised segment on NBC Sports during the 2019 Kentucky Oaks. Signed by: Jerry Bailey, Donna Brothers, Larry Collmus, Dylan Dreyer, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ahmed Fareed, Britney Eurton, Rebecca Lowe, Nick Luck, Von Miller, Randy Moss, Eddie Olczyk, Laffit Pincay III, Kenny Rice, Mike Tirico and Rutledge Wood. Donated by NBC Kentucky Oaks Team Spirits Calumet Farm Bourbon “Winning Traditions” Calumet Bourbon is bottled from hand selected barrels with a customary mash bill of corn, rye and malted barley offering a sweet, flawless finish. With a steep tradition in breeding winners, Calumet Farm Bourbon Whiskey is truly a winning spirit. Also includes a limited edition collector’s glass. Bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Van Winkle Special Reserve is the perfect combination of age and proof. This sweet, full-bodied whiskey has been described by some as “nectar.” The 12 years of aging and medium proof seem to be just right in creating a very pleasant drink of whiskey. This fine bourbon can compete with any excellent cognac as an after-dinner drink. The overall impression is rich and deep. Donated by StableDuel Maker’s Mark Private Select Bottle & Vintage Kentucky Derby Cup 1974 100th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby Cup Maker’s Mark Private Select Oak Stave selection by Breeder’s Cup Reserve. Belle Vodka Gift Basket Basket includes 1 bottle of Belle vodka, glass, mixers, snacks and more. Donated by Belle Vodka Experiences Private Tour of Old Friends with Michael Blowen A private tour for two (2) of Old Friends with founder Michael Blowen. The Old Friends Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, KY is home to notable former runners including Silver Charm, War Emblem, Alphabet Soup, Touch Gold, Little Mike, Game On Dude, and many others. See certificate for limitations and terms. Donated by Michael Blowen Taylor Made Tour Visit one of Kentucky’s most iconic Thoroughbred Farms. Taylor Made Farm, located in Nicholasville, Kentucky will provide a tour for 10 of their sprawling 1,100-acre farm with stops at the mares and foals barn, yearling barn and concludes with stallion viewings. Included are grade 1 winners Graydar, Mshawish, Noth this Time, and two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome. Donated by Taylor Made Farm Sagamore Experience Sagamore Farm Tour, passes for a Sagamore Spirit distillery tour, Sagamore swag, and whiskey. Donated by Sagamore Farm Art & History Limited Edition Ellen Skidmore Print “PUPPY” by Ellen Skidmore, 2018. Special limited edition print. Ellen Skidmore’s work is known for its whimsical subject matter and luminous color palette. Framed Photo of 2019 Kentucky Derby Winner Framed photo of 2019 Kentucky Derby Winner Country House by Suzie Oldham. Champions Day Poster Signed by Triple Crown Legends. Signed by Triple Crown winners Bob Baffert, Elliott Walden, Mike Smith, Steve Cauthen, and Jean Cruguet Fred Stone Zenyatta Framed Print 22 x 28 framed print of Hall of Famer Zenyatta, honoring her win in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1). Signed by jockey Mike Smith and late American painter Fred Stone. Donated by Alicia Hughes Gift Basket by Ellen Skidmore Throw Me A Carrot LLC is a lighthearted design & publishing company specializing in Ellen Skidmore’s unique illustrations. Her books, prints, and other gift items are popular with horse lovers of all ages. Donated by Ellen Skidmore Framed Photo Remembering Hall of Famer Alydar 14×18 framed photo remembering Hall of Famer Alydar, who ran second in all three legs of the 1978 Triple Crown to rival Affirmed before defeating him in the Travers Stakes. Donated by Frames on Main, Paris, Ky Secretariat Signed Photo 8X10 Photo of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Signed by his jockey Ron Turcotte. Donated by Dan Tordjman BloodHorse Magazines Featuring Zenyatta Seven BloodHorse

America’s Best Racing’s sixth annual Pre-Preakness Party will be May 15, 2019, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore with the support of returning event sponsor Sagamore Racing. Event benefits the TAA and Beyond the Wire.