Ahhh Feels Like Home & Photographs in Black and White

On a beautiful sun filled Tuesday morning I made the pilgrimage back to my mecca, Santa Anita Racetrack and Clockers Corner to see the new dirt track installed during the summer and fall meets at other race tracks.



There was a distinct "buzz" and excitement in the air as horsemen gathered with owners and racing fans to see the new track. Gary Stevens, Jim Cassidy, Mel & Gary Stute among others were stationed throughout Clockers holding court and sharing their thoughts on the resurfaced track with each other. Jim Cassidy, trainer told me that there were about 350 horses on the grounds and most were jogging over the dirt, getting a feel for it with good reports. The mood was jovial, with everyone from the guard gate to the cafe saying hello and wishing each other well. There is a community at a race track that is unlike any other I have experienced and it was nice to be "home" again.

James Cassidy's Evening Jewel out for a morning look around.

I loved being back at my favorite track. There is nothing like the glorious foothills framing the horses as the work in the mornings. It's "my church" and it welcomed all of us in attendance, with a long exhale and a good to be home hug.

Speaking of morning works and the backside of a race track, there is a new coffee table book by photographer Juliet Harrison that is sure to be a hit with anyone on your gift giving list.
The book, Track Life, is a culmination of four years of trips to the track at Saratoga Springs, New York.



Juliet shared with us, "it is hard being a traditional B&W photographer in that setting. I spent the first two years trying to figure out what my vision, my imagery would be of the track. Standard track photography would not satisfy me. Taking distant photos of horses on the track during the race as they sped by did not work. Not in Black and White. Not having the flash of color to draw the viewer’s eye, made race photos in B&W basically boring". Ms. Harrison's inspiration came from what I too find inspiring and that is the life on the back side, the preparation of the race horse before and after their race. "These are the things that I found interesting to photograph. And they are what I have chosen to share. Track Life is my vision in film. And I see it as a thank you and homage to the experiences I have had there", says Juliet.




Ms. Harrison is generously donating a portion of the sale of her book to two organization's ours, The Second Race and LOPE, in Texas. We appreciate the beauty of the subject, the art of her images in black and white, and the support of ex-race horses.

To purchase a signed copy of Track Life, go to julietharrison@earthlink.net or purchase directly from Blurb (the book won't be signed). The link there is http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1723125

Our Holiday Letter to You

Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. (Job 39:19-22) and so begins the opening lines in the movie ‘Secretariat’.
I thought it so fitting that the opening voice over would speak to the beauty, the strength and the fearlessness of the horse, and my mind in the dark theatre went to the race horse. The race horse bred to succeed, to compete at the highest level, to go bravely forward and fulfill his or her destiny.

Of course not all horses bred to race even make it into training, let alone a race track in America. The odds are against a race horse that does make its first start to have much of a career beyond the national average of 4.1 starts for its entire career! Yes, its entire career and most race horses that do start, start at the age of two or three.
So from the hopes and dreams of a breeder, trainer, or owner come literally thousands of horses born each year to fulfill their purpose for being bred, to be a race horse.
Race horses are a thrill; they capture your imagination and take you on a ride that lasts less than two minutes. Nothing compares, in my mind to the athleticism of the horse.
It’s been our privilege this past year to help 53 horses safely move on to their next career, home or permanent retirement while working with owners, farms, lay up facilities or trainers across the United States.
In April of this year we were able to expand our services by providing a foster facility in Valley Center, CA that was donated to us by the ranch’s private owner. Without this generous donation we would not have 15 horses owned by The Second Race that are currently awaiting adoption (some are completing their rehab before being available). Our mission this year has been fulfilled in ways we couldn't have imagined when we began The Second Race in June 2009, our time frame has leaped ahead to accomplishing our goal to be a national network for retired race horses and those bred to race.
Our nonprofit status should be granted any day. We are working with several groups to support our mission including other non profits, equestrian trainers, lay up farms in and out of the state of California, and race tracks which are encouraging us to partner with them to provide a safe harbor for the horses from their tracks.




With our growth come expenses. We have secured a grant writer that will work diligently to secure major funding for us in the coming year. The Second Race will need to take advantage of every avenue to raise funds. We have several events planned including a Bowling Tournament in February, A Day at the Races in April (in southern California) and on Kentucky Derby Day (in northern California). We have a fun event planned for Del Mar and look forward to other opportunities to raise funds. Our expenses per horse are $ 300 a month, so sponsorships are encouraged of our horses starting at $ 150 per month details on how to help can be found on our website.
We have been blessed to receive many donations of hay, medical supplies, grooming equipment, fly masks, and halters for the horses. Volunteers have signed up and come down to our foster facility to work with our horses. We have equine massages, aromatherapy (lavender works wonders) and spa days for our retired race horses. The Second Race has had professional photographers take beautiful photos of our horses to assist with their adoption. The media has started to recognize us and we were interviewed for magazines, blogs and appeared on air during the fair meet in Fresno. We had the opportunity to provide commentary for a documentary being filmed on Kinsale King and we were a school project for a graduate student in visual arts. We encourage you to become involved with The Second Race or to visit our retired race horses. They enjoy the interaction and actually it helps to socialize them for their adoption.



The Second Race was fortunate to have generous donations of racing memorabilia, halters and horse shoes worn by famous race horses, saddle clothes and coolers. We had beautiful original artwork and photography gifted to us and more. Help is needed and gifts in kind are always accepted. We have silent auctions coming up with our events and if you are able to provide a vacation, jewelry, racing memorabilia, professional services or other costs underwritten to support The Second Race and our foster horses, it would be greatly appreciated.

The Second Race is happy to report some success stories this year. We were able to transition A to the Z, an earner of $ 800,000 on the track to Amy Hess, an equestrian trainer that took him to his first horse show. He placed first in two of his “baby green” categories. Horses like A to the Z, provide a forum for other Thoroughbreds to be considered in the show jumping world. We adopted out other horses that have begun dressage training, jumping and polo pony training as well. It’s so fun to receive the updates, photos and to hear the accomplishments of the retired race horses!
Not all horses can go on to a new career and we are blessed to have loving, permanent homes for horses like Go Flags Bro, that fractured his pelvis and needed a new home where he would never been ridden.

The Second Race, as a national network sent horses from California to Colorado, Ohio, Idaho, Illinois, Arizona, Florida and Texas. Without our ability to use social media to network, these horses would not have found homes so easily. We are committed to moving horses across the US to find them homes, and need to partner with van companies to reduce shipping costs. This is one of our objectives for 2011.




Lastly and most importantly at the end of the year we want to thank the thousands of supporters we have. The donations received, the company partners that donate a portion of their sales to us, and to the racing fans that inquire about the horses, that care deeply what happens to them when they are no longer coming down the lane towards the finish line.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, our foster partnership and volunteers, thank you for a successful year and from the horses “a neigh and nicker” for your love and support. The Second Race cannot succeed without people like you! We wish you a prosperous and blessed 2011.
Sharla Sanders, Founder, The Second Race www.thesecondrace.com

NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance to Cover Retired Race Horses

AGENDA SET FOR NTRA SAFETY AND INTEGRITY ALLIANCE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SEMINAR

Continuing Education Sessions Targeted to Trainers, Veterinarians, Racing Officials, Aftercare Professionals, Farriers and Racetrack Medical Directors

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced the agenda for the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Professional Education Seminar to be held Tuesday, October 19 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. The Seminar, sponsored by Keeneland and Pfizer Animal Health, will feature expert speakers from across the country who will discuss health and safety topics targeted specifically to trainers, aftercare organizations, track medical directors, racing officials, farriers and veterinarians. Attendance at the seminar will help satisfy continuing education requirements for racetracks as mandated by the Alliance’s Code of Standards.

One portion of the Seminar will focus on continuing education for trainers. Topics to be covered will include exercise protocol for the young horse; managing post-exercise body temperature, musculoskeletal injuries; nutrition; knowing when to retire a racehorse; importance of voluntary injury reporting; dealing with the media; the importance of pre-race examinations; and working with stewards. Speakers will include: Dr. Reid McLellan, Executive Director, Groom Elite Program; Randal Raub, Director of Horse Business Development, Purina Mills, LLC; Anna Ford, New Vocations; Dr. Jeffery Berk, Ocala Equine Hospital; Dr. Mary Scollay, Equine Medical Director, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission; Stan Bowker, Chairman, Racing Officials Accreditation Program; Dr. Bryce Peckham, Chief Veterinarian, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission; and Eric Wing, Senior Director of Media Relations, NTRA.

Another segment will center on the role of racetrack medical directors. This portion of the Seminar will be led by Dr. Barry Schumer of Keeneland.

D.G. Van Clief, Jr., the former President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., and the NTRA, will lead a session on Thoroughbred aftercare. Topics to be covered include: rehabilitation of horses off the racetrack; infectious disease management; nutrition for mistreated and geriatric horses; veterinary care for the geriatric horse; the Unwanted Horse Coalition; fund raising; marketing the retired racehorse; and best business practices. Speakers will include Dr. Tom Daugherty, DVM; Randal Raub of Purina Mills, LLC; Dr. Rob Holland, Pfizer Animal Health; Ericka Caslin, Unwanted Horse Coalition; Tom Cordova, Cordova Marketing Group; Lynn Reardon, LOPE; Jane Gilbert, ReRun; Anna Ford of New Vocations; Joe Hoffman, Esq., Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; Laura D’Angelo, Esq., Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs; Eric Wing, Senior Director of Media Relations, NTRA; and John Della Volpe, SocialSphere Strategies.

Cathy O’Meara, Coordinator for the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP), will lead a session from ROAP that will include four sections: InCompass RTO lists, what they are and how to share them; Paddock Judge—the duties and responsibilities of checking horse equipment to maintain safety; Clerk of Scales—a presentation on the duties and responsibilities of checking jockey equipment to maintain safety by Tim Kelly, ROAP Accredited Steward and NYRA Clerk of Scales; and Starter—a presentation on safety concerns at the gate and the duties and responsibilities of the starter by Bob Duncan, Consultant and retired NYRA starter.

Mitch Taylor of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School will preside over a segment on hoof care and the foot. Taylor will discuss the physiology of the hoof, while Dr. James Orsini, Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, will provide an update on laminitis research and Dr. Mick Peterson of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory will present on track surfaces and hoof dynamics.

Finally, Dr. Mary Scollay, the Equine Medical Director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will lead a session for veterinarians. Dr. Scollay and Dr. Scot Waterman, Executive Director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) will discuss medication testing protocols; and Scollay will address the issue of environmental contamination.

For additional information about the NTRA Professional Education seminar, including how to register, contact Casey Hamilton at (859) 422-2627. Discounted hotel rooms for Seminar attendees are being held at the Crowne Plaza in Lexington.

From the Race Track to Eventing-- Paddington's Story

From time to time, The Second Race, features stories told in the words of the owners of ex-race horses whom they have adopted or taken in for a new career. Here is the latest installment by Ashley Sager and her horse, Paddington.


I purchased Acrobatic Champ (aka Paddington or Paddy) from a small farm in NJ in April 2006. He had been off the track for about 2 weeks and I had this crazy idea that it would be fun to learn how to jump (I had been riding for 15 years but had always done Saddle Seat and never jumped) and so I thought I'd buy an off-the-track thoroughbred (I probably should have thought that through a bit more but it all worked out in the end).

When I first went to look at Paddy I thought he was about as ugly as a horse can be - he was about 100-200 pounds under weight, very gangly, all legs and had a skinny little neck. As they tacked him up I literally was trying to decide whether or not I even wanted to see him under saddle! But once I saw him move and rode him, I did a complete 180 - he was AMAZING. I couldn't sleep that night (that's how you know it's the right horse) so the next day I called and bought him.

After my purchase, I instantly fell in love with Paddy - he is the sweetest, most gentle, most well-mannered horse I have ever met. When I first bought him he had no idea what treats were, he reluctantly took a carrot from me about a week after purchase and it was a year before he'd try an apple, 2 years before eating horse treats and he still won't eat peppermints! But back to his story, over our first year we slowly learned how to jump together, he jumped like a gazelle and I am sure I didn't look much better but we figured it out.



Somewhere along the road, someone mentioned that they thought Paddy would be good at eventing, I thought "sounds fun" and we started eventing! We went to our first starter horse trials in 2007 and I was instantly hooked. I decided to take a year off from my day job and be a working student for Megan Moore at Team CEO Eventing in Kentucky, probably the best decision I ever made - it was an absolute blast! Paddy couldn't get enough of cross country and neither could I, we moved up the levels quickly and today we compete at the prelim level with hopes of doing our first one-star this fall.




Our current instructor, Babette Lenna, even thinks he could go Advanced one day, wouldn't that be something? He is the first horse I ever took to a horse trial, he is the first horse I ever rode Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Prelim - I really hope he is the first horse I take Intermediate and Advanced (knock on wood). I am SURE he can do it, he is incredible talented, the only question is whether I can!

Paddy just turned 8 on April 15, 2010 (sorry, we don't follow the typical January 1st birthday - he's too special to have a generic birthday). He is 16.2hh, bay with some chrome and a star, he is still mostly legs but a lot less gangly then when I bought him 4 years ago, he has the cutest face (everyone says so) and is a yellow-lab in a horse costume, he'd sleep in my bed if I'd let him. His name is Paddington because he really does have the personality of Paddington Bear!




_____________________________________

Zenyatta Jersey to Benefit Several Thoroughbred Charities

Will she, Won't she, the debate continues among racing fans if Zenyatta will run actually in the Vanity at Hollywood Park on Sunday, June 13.

What is known is that there will be a jersey available for purchase carrying Zenyatta's name and the blessings of the connections from MVP Champions. A two-time champion, Zenyatta, 6, has won 16 races and $5,924,580. If she wins the Vanity for an unprecedented third time, she would surpass the 16-race winning streaks of Cigar and Citation. A special Jersey signing will be held at Hollywood Park on June 13 and at Del Mar on August 7th to coincide with the probable race dates for Zenyatta.

MVP Champions has recently come on the scene with a series of collectible and/or wearable jerseys to benefit Thoroughbred charities. The first to be offered was Bob Baffert's Hall of Fame jersey which benefited Old Friends in Kentucky.

MVP Champions website states they launch merchandising solutions to benefit charitable causes with remarkable results. Donations are made at point of purchase to benefit designated charities. Our commitment to craftsmanship, design, and technical innovation provide a unique niche in the sports manufacturing market.
We also offer unique promotional opportunities at all of our charitable events. Our nationally publicized fund raisers, product launch promotions, and autograph signings give our supporters national exposure with profitable results.

To view the Jerseys or to order go to www.mvpchampions.com

On another note there will be a Zenyatta Bobblehead give-away on the same day at Hollywood Park on June 13th. www.hollywoodpark.com for details.

When Good Intentions Go Wrong....

I woke up this morning to this alarming note from Helping Hearts Equine Rescue. Two days ago, I asked our network to help with the Thoroughbred mares with foals at their sides that a NY Breeder was attempting to quickly get rid of. We initially were told that the horses would be shipped the following morning to Camelot in New Jersey (an auction lot). The man that was making the decision to eliminate his stock, had to be off his property in 10 days, and from subsequent conversations had said he had been trying to find homes for the horses since November. Whatever happened to this person to make these decisions, was not at issue. What was at issue, were the horses and trying to re-home them in less than a day, while they were still available and safe.

Well, to my dismay (NOT shock), this is the message greeting me this morning. Read on:


ALL RIGHT FOLKS - The man Donald Jones, who asked for help with his TB mares/foals, is fed up with rescue & says he'll never call a rescue again and he'll never recommend ANY rescue again. So these horses are out of our hands -- God knows where they will wind up.

WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE, DESPITE OUR REQUESTS, CALLED THIS MAN TO HARRASS HIM AND GIVE HIM GRIEF. They also called authorities to file complaints, claiming that horses weren't cared for. Colleen S saw the horses & facilities-everything was clean & well cared for, horses were clean and well -fed, buckets were scrubbed, etc. etc. . They even called the Tb racing authority and filed unjustified complaints with them.

THIS IS HORRIBLE, THIS IS A SMACK IN THE FACE for all rescues. He's now got a story to tell, a sadly TRUE story that rescues are BAD, that they won't help people/animals in need, that they cause problems. How can you expect people to rely on us or trust us to assist horses in need????

Never mind the fact that we cannot now help these horses. Where-ever they wind up ~~~ auctions, feed lots, slaughter, it will be directly due to the irresponsible actions and the "High and Mighty Attitudes" of some individuals. THAT is NOT rescue! THAT is just causing trouble and grief, plain and simple.

WHOEVER YOU PEOPLE ARE THAT MADE THOSE CALLS -- SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!


The following was my exact reply to this post:


This is exactly why as of today I will NO LONGER be involved with these situations. I am TIRED of the same OUTCOME over and over and over again! It's like a bunch of religious zealots shouting "witch" (yes, that has happened to me this week), and I am OVER it!!
When I created The Second Race, it was to work directly with race tracks, not auction lots and all the craziness that goes around it. This is no different.
The efforts were made, genuine conversations were handled with this man, and everyone knew the game plan (in the beginning), and I know headway was made. THEN someone thinks they have a better plan and like a ROGUE go out on their own and mess it up. I am done, done, done!
Now what, those who wanted the horses will have to pay the BROKERS ridiculous sums of money to bail out these horses, when they were FREE!!!!!!!!!! DONE! and yes, SHAME ON WHOEVER DID THIS!

So my conclusion.....the Internet works, and it doesn't. It's only as good as the people operating the keyboards. When will people who have no idea how a rescue works learn? (and in this case it WASN'T a rescue--YET), it was a person who genuinely was working with STRANGERS to solve his IMMEDIATE problem. I have to be honest I KNEW as soon as I saw that the person had given their phone number, there was going to be trouble and I wish I had said something sooner.

If we are to help the horses, then we need to respect those that are trying to do the right thing. We need to respect the group or individuals at the helm in these instances and their requests, and we need to make educated decisions that are in the best interest of all involved.

The Second Race was created to work directly with the race tracks, et al. But, with the Internet and social networking as our main source of re-homing horses; we have to respond when appropriate to other horses and needs. I know our network has made a difference, we have galvanized many times with a positive outcome, and we will continue to do so. But a line has to be drawn, to protect the integrity of many, including The Second Race. If "rescues" go bad over and over again, those that work hard to save horses or re-home them will ultimately lose heart and turn away and that would be the saddest outcome of all.

Saving Captain Dudley---- How Barbaro Inspired a Rescue

The Second Race from time to time posts stories submitted by supporters, showcasing their stories and the story of their retired race horse. Here is the story of Captain Dudley, the inspiration of Barbaro and the story of Saving "Brego"... Thank you to Julie for submitting her story. Enjoy!




Brego’s story begins by looking backward, long before he was born, long before Barbaro was born. Brego’s story really begins with a deep, deep love of horses and one hell of a crush on Steve Cauthen. The father of one of my classmates was editor for Equus Magazine, and in the 70’s it was more focused on Thoroughbred racing than general equestrian stuff. This is where I read about Seattle Slew, a horse I grew to love, and Affirmed, because I thought his jockey was the hottest thing on the planet. Never mind that I was six years old and the proud owner of a new horse (my parents gave in, finally). At that time I could follow present day thoroughbreds but learned all about the great legends through my Breyer horse collection. I had Silky Sullivan, Man O’War, Ruffian, Kelso, and the list goes on.


As I grew older, my love of racing faded, but my love of horses did not.


Fast forward many years to the day of my brothers wedding and the day of the Preakness. I was watching the pre-race festivities, saw interviews with Michael Matz and listened to the talk of Barbaro. My brothers wedding began ten minutes before post time.


One day later I became a fan of Barbaro.


A few years before that Preakness Day I was introduced to Joe Sheldon at TB Friends, who was good friends with a dear friend of mine who happened to be a trainer. My friend Ernie suggested I get to know Joe because he always had access to so many great horses. Ernie and his wife Fran had been privy to my brewing dream, to set up an environment where horses could heal people and people could heal horses. What better place to get horses that needed healing than from Joe? I already knew where to go to get the people that needed healing.


I knew it was time to start looking for my first off the track thoroughbred when Barbaro was injured. The nation rallied around a horse in a way I hadn’t seen before. It inspired me.


I began watching Joe’s site like a hawk, convinced that he would get my horse. Every now and then I’d swing up to Woodland and drop a bunch of grain off and look around his field but there was no spark. So, I waited. For better or worse I wanted a bay with a white star (I later realized that my first horse was a bay with a white star). Searching local websites, back and forth to Joe’s this went on for over a year.


Then one day I was looking at the Bay Area Equestrian Network in the Retired Race Horse Section when I saw this:


“17H tattooed gelding with star like Barbaro. This gentle giant has a sad look in his eye and his energy seems beat down and despondent, although he seemed happier after I rode him. His knee has some swelling”



His name was Espresso and he was at a feedlot in Yakima Washington. He was just four years old. And there was something about, something about that sad look in his eye that pulled on me. I contacted the rescue working with the feedlot and inquired about his availability. I then printed out the pictures of him and took them to my barn.


“He’s a train wreck!” my trainer exclaimed at the site of the photos. “Of course he’s a train wreck, he’s in a feedlot!” I barked back at her. After much negotiation, mostly with my husband who could not for the life of him understand why I needed another horse, and this horse, I purchased Espresso site unseen and decided I’d deal with the knee later.


He was quickly renamed Brego. He remained in quarantine for one month at Camelot Farms in Yakima. During the first vet check I got and ran his tattoo. He was Canadian-bred Captain Dudley, his name honoring a friend of the breeder, who died the day Brego was born. He was a grandson of Seattle Slew. I could barely gather myself, I had a Slew grandson – I was pretty chipper with this newfound news.


Brego was shipped to California on June 6th, 2007. When he came off the trailer he was in pretty bad condition. A two on the body scale, which prompted the barn manager to hide him in the upper barn because no horse on the property looked like him.


It was a matter of moments, as he looked around in his stall, that the realization sunk in maybe, that he was “home”. In two weeks he didn’t need to be hidden anymore.


We focused on getting weight on him while we evaluated the knee. He had chips, we just didn’t know how many and what the prognosis was. A few months later he was scheduled for arthroscopic surgery. The surgeon pulled three chips out of his knee. The first true testament to his character was coming out of anesthesia. My trainer and friend watched him as he tried to stand. He would try to get up, and realize he was too wobbly, and then rest for a few minutes, and then try again. On the third attempt he was able to stand. I was so impressed by his patience and intelligence.


He was rehabbed for six months and then began a long retraining process. We spent several months rebuilding his muscle before we put a rider on his back. After a full year, we were ready (we quickly learned that he had been ready for a while!). I asked one of the trainers who was also a jockey and exercise rider at Golden Gate Fields to get on him first. We didn’t know how he’d respond and Nicole can stay on anything.


Brego responded the way he had to everything else. No big deal. He was actually more comfortable with someone in the saddle.


We continued this process for another six months and then it was time for Brego to go learn how to be a horse. From the time I saw him come off the trailer through all the rehab and retraining, I wanted to see him run, really run, like he was bred to do.

When we arrived at Pegasus Ranch last April, I had no idea that one of my dreams was about the come true. Brego led the herd run, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my lie. And he was reunited with Wild Inspiration, the horse he was stalled next to when he first arrived at my barn.


Brego is now at a family owned barn in the town I live in. He is, dare I saw it, fattish…. Hay belly-ish.


I am working with him as a teaching horse for my programs, where horses interact with people to help them come human again. He is coming along great.

What a Thoroughbred Taught a Person--- The Story of "Puppy"

This month I am dedicating The Second Race blog to stories of ex-race horses that have touched the lives of those that either adopted them, rescued or just loved them. My hope is in sharing stories this month, a few of the horses currently listed with our group (or any group for that matter) may find their way to a new home.




The first in the series of stories is by author Diane Tuorto......






"Puppy" AKA Regal Destroyer, photo Diana Tuorto

I met my Thoroughbred gelding, Puppy (registered name Regal Destroyer) in 1998, while taking lessons on a farm in New Jersey. Then 15 years old, Puppy had endured a hard life, having been shuffled from owner to owner. His early years were spent racing in Fingers Lake region of New York state; he remained there for five long years. While Puppy was a stalker, not a sprinter, his owners continued to enter him in six furlong races, where his performances were always noted as "tried hard in the end". He regularly came in second or third, but rarely won a race, earning barely over $ 10,000 in his many years on the race track.

At a towering 17.2 hands, Puppy next found work as a jumper, where he excelled in four foot courses. He had an amazing work ethic and also had the movement and responsiveness to succeed in 2nd level dressage competitions. By the time I met Puppy, this schoolmaster was working as a lesson and pleasure horse.

Puppy was a perfect example of a horse who was a bit TOO well trained. A friend of mine demonstrated this one day when she had forgotten something up at our barn. She said to leave Puppy. tacked up and alone, in the indoor arena and asked him to "stand". He stopped and stood perfectly still. When we returned, nearly five minutes later, there he stood, having not budged an inch or even lowered his head.

When his stall was left open one night, Puppy wandered outside to eat some grass (judging by the hoof prints), but by morning, was standing straight in his stall as if the door had been closed behind him. Thankfully, over our time together, Puppy realized that wasn't all about work and started to enjoy being silly and playful -- even small things like rubbing his head against my back seemed difficult for him to feel comfortable doing, but as the months went by, he learned that he wouldn't be scolded for what must have previously thought of as "bad behavior".

I had always loved Thoroughbreds, but had never been comfortable jumping any horse; under Puppy's guidance and patience, I soon took on fences, dressage, and hunter paces-- Puppy was willing to try whatever I asked and provided the confident partner I needed to overcome my nerves and excel at different disciplines of riding.

I purchased Puppy in 2000, but sadly, in February 2002, I was forced to put Puppy to sleep when degenerative arthritis in his spine and back (from a starting gate accident years before) had taken its toll on him. I still miss him terribly.

One thing Puppy and many other ex-racehorses have taught me is perseverance. Even when Puppy continued to lose on the racetrack, or in other disciplines, it was always noted how he would constantly give it his all, never complaining, hesitating, or showing any signs of the arthritis that ultimately took his life until the absolute end. Puppy was a fighter. His character and presence inspired me so much that I committed myself to write a novel loosely based on his life, which became Luck of the Draw, the story of a Thoroughbred racehorse that never gives up.

Tampa Bay Downs and T.R.O.T. Partner Together for Racehorses

Bloodhorse.com announced today that Tampa Bay Downs and T.R.O.T. (Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa) have partnered to transition race horses from it's race track to T.R.O.T. The main function will be to educate the trainers of Tampa Bay Downs on the option to have their horses surrendered at the end of their racing careers either due to injury or because they can no longer be competitive as a means to re-train, rehab and/or re-home them. I applaud the efforts of both to ensure the safety of the horses. My hope is that more race tracks will follow suit.

I visited the T.R.O.T website and found this article to share:

(Reprinted from www.tampatrot.org)

The life of a racehorse is not an easy one. While the industry of horseracing is controversial amongst the general public, we recognize the courage that these horses have to go out and risk their lives in every race. Many run with known injuries; others run for years on strength and heart until their bodies are just tired and worn out. For those who run the dozens of races and make their earnings dollar by dollar, life tends to be long and difficult. These horses deserve a dignified retirement to loving homes, where they can live the rest of their lives as a friend and companion.
Unfortunately, too many of our country’s noble Thoroughbreds are ending up in poor conditions and auction lots. This is often the end of the road for these horses as many are sold to kill buyers who send them off to slaughter. Horses like Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand and the great Exceller both met their unfortunate fates in slaughterhouses. While we stand against the practice of equine slaughter, we understand that curbing these atrocities starts at home and on our local racetracks. Our goal is to offer trainers a safe means of retirement for unwanted Thoroughbreds, and the public the opportunity to welcome one of these brave horses into their homes. While the endeavor to save all of them is seemingly impossible, we will strive to help those we can to ensure their second chance at life.
Anyone who has been around Thoroughbreds knows that they have unique personalities all their own. Anyone who has accepted them into their home after racing understands the challenges, but gratitude that they exude for changing their life. All of those involved with TROT have personal experiences with OTTBs. From learning to ride, to rehabilitating a brave Thoroughbred pulled from the slop of a kill pen, and others working daily to ensure the health and safety of those who are still employed as racehorses… We understand their value, we honor their bravery, and we are committed to their safety.