thoroughbred aftercare

Drew Fleming, the president and chief executive officer of Breeders' Cup Limited, and Elliott Walden, president, CEO and racing manager for WinStar Farm, have been elected as directors of the board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the organization said in a release Monday. For a second consecutive year, Walter S. Robertson, Jr., a member of the law firm Stites & Barbison PLLC, will serve as TAA president. "I am honored to continue serving as President of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and grateful for the continued confidence of the Board of...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) has launched its annual TRF online charity auction on eBay, which runs through Thursday, Nov. 13 and features nearly 50 racing-related items, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday. The auction directly benefits the TRF's mission to provide dignified lifetime care to retired Thoroughbred racehorses, and also benefits its 'Second Chances Program' for incarcerated individuals. This year's auction includes: Thorpedo Anna shadowboxed halter with certificate of authenticity; Autographed memorabilia from industry connections; Artwork, photography, and handcrafted items; Frank Mirahmadi race call experience at the Spa....

Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm will partner with MyRacehorse to support Thoroughbred aftercare, and the collaboration will officially launch with the 'Night Out With Champions' on Friday, Oct. 24 at Old Friends's Georgetown, Kentucky, location. The event will include tours of the farm, a buffet dinner, drinks, raffles and door prizes as well as a charity auction, with all proceeds to benefit Old Friends's mission of providing lifelong homes for equine retirees. Already confirmed for the 'Night Out With Champions' are Wesley Ward, Victor Espinoza and Edgar Prado, with additional...

After a record number of applications in 2025, Thoroughbred Charities of America grants to 98 organizations totaling over $1.1-million were recently awarded, according to a press release from the non-profit on Thursday afternoon. The TCA said that 63 aftercare organizations, 24 backstretch and farm worker programs, seven equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs, and one research organization comprised this year's tally. The TCA release added that their grant committee established clear funding priorities with emphasis placed on approved organizations working to serve the backstretch and farm employee communities as...

After months of research and stakeholder engagement for Mike Repole's National Thoroughbred Alliance initiative, I read the Aug. 26 open letter, "When Does a Thoroughbred Earn a Safe Retirement" with interest and, assuredly, shared frustration. The authors have been at the forefront of fighting the slaughter pipeline for years. The most basic finding of my research has been, to little surprise, that the space often referred to as "aftercare,"--which I will call "beyond racing"--is grossly underfunded and underdeveloped. If anyone suggests to you that our industry is doing enough at...

Last week, Kentucky news outlet LEX18 reported the death of Kayseri, a University of Kentucky-bred mare who was shipped to Puerto Rico and ultimately euthanised after prolonged suffering. Her story is devastating - but sadly, not unusual. Kayseri stood in a shipping container for three days at sea, then raced far beyond the point of soundness. No one stepped in to retire her. In January, she was put down due to degenerative joint disease. The treatment of horses in Puerto Rico, throughout and after their racing careers, has been raised...

The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), which offers assistance to over 20 aftercare charities, raised more than $200,000 during the sixth annual CARMAthon fundraiser Saturday. FanDuel TV hosted the event in addition to donating $25,000. "It is important to us to continue to give back to the horse racing industry through numerous charitable initiatives each year," said Andrew Moore, FanDuel TV's General Manager. "CARMA does tremendous work to help retired racehorses thrive in their second careers off of the track and we are thrilled to be able to support them...

Grade I-winning New York-bred Diversify (Bellamy Road) has relocated to Old Friends at Cabin Creek after initially retiring to Old Friends' Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky following his retirement from racing in 2019. "We are thrilled to welcome Diversify back home to New York," said JoAnn Pepper, manager of Old Friends at Cabin Creek. "We are looking forward to him settling in and greeting visitors." Trained by the late Rick Violette, Jr. and owned by Lauren and Ralph Evans, Diversify won the 2017 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and...

The Lexington leg of the Real Rider Cup, held June 28 at New Vocations at Mereworth Farm raised over $57,000 to support Thoroughbred aftercare efforts. The charity show jumping competition brings together personalities from across the breeding and racing industry to increase awareness and raise funds for Beyond the Wire, New Vocations, and the Retired Racehorse Project, with each rider pledging to raise at least $1,000. Kristin VanMeter and Hardesty won the individual competition, and VanMeter's Team Stockplace, which included Gina Gans, Mary Motion, and Avery Wismer, prevailed as the...

When it came time for United (Giant's Causeway) to retire from the racetrack, there was never any doubt that he would remain with LNJ Foxwoods, the parents-and-daughter team of Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth who had campaigned him throughout his four-year career. A seven-time graded stakes winner, the towering chestnut had become the family's all-time leading earner and they were committed to giving him a forever home. What they didn't expect, however, was just how much the competitive gelding would take to a second career. Now flourishing in the show...

A group of former Todd Pletcher assistant trainers have pledged to donate a percentage of their earnings from the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to support the mission of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), the organization said on Thursday in a press release. Michael McCarthy, George Weaver, Jonathan Thomas, Whit Beckman and Amelia Green have each committed a portion of their festival earnings to the TRF, underscoring their dedication to the welfare of retired racehorses. Click here to learn more about helping the TRF.

SIDR Pharma, a source of organic healing products for horses, has launched its Equine Allies Program aimed at supporting Thoroughbred rescues, rehabilitation centers, and rehoming organizations. Each month, the company will select a non-profit as its Featured Ally to receive 5-10% of Equine Allies product profits, along with dedicated promotional support. The program also offers tiered discounts on SIDR Pharma's equine recovery and wellness products to selected partner rescues. The application is open to all 501(c)(3) equine rescues, rehab centers, and rehoming programs across the U.S. For more information, or to...