aftercare | Horse Racing Free Tips

TCA’s Bid On The Bluegrass Charity Auction Now Open For Bidding

Thoroughbred Charities of America's Bid on the Bluegrass Auction is now open for bidding. The online auction offers unique, Kentucky-themed items and experiences including memorabilia associated with many 2021 Kentucky Derby starters. Bidding will continue through Saturday, May 1 at 9 p.m. ET. All proceeds will benefit TCA.

Featured auction items include memorabilia from Derby starters Essential Quality, Midnight Bourbon, Hot Rod Charlie, Like the King, Hidden Stash, Rock Your World, Medina Spirit, Helium, Super Stock, O Besos, Sainthood, Brooklyn Strong, Highly Motivated, and Mandaloun.

Other racing memorabilia includes an original sign from Calumet Farm when it was owned by the Wright Family, two framed shoes worn by Alydar, a print of Secretariat signed by Penny Tweedy, and a framed print of Seattle Slew winning the Derby by Fred Stone. Unique experiences include an exclusive meet and greet with American Pharoah and Justify at Coolmore America with halters for each horse followed by a bourbon tasting, a VIP meet and greet with Rachel Alexandra and a farm tour at Stonestreet Farm, a private tour at Claiborne Farm, a catered farm tour with a Pinhook Bourbon tasting at Margaux Farm, and the opportunity to join race caller Kurt Becker in the announcer's booth for one race during Keeneland's October 2021 race meet.

The auction also features bourbon-related items including twelve bottles of Bulleit Distilling Company spirits signed by Tom Bulleit, a Four Roses Bourbon gift basket, a Buffalo Trace Distillery gift basket, and a Town Branch Distilling barrel head.

A list of items can be found here.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2020, TCA granted over $1 million to 70 approved charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. During the last three decades, TCA has granted over $24 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA manages Cómo, a mobile app founded by Godolphin, that connects racing industry employees to the vital services they need through a network of racetrack chaplains and Thoroughbred industry organizations. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).

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IFAR Conference Concludes With Optimism For Racehorse Aftercare

The 2021 IFAR Conference, held virtually this year for the first time, closed April 27 with praise for the progress that racing has made in the realm of aftercare while acknowledging that continued work is necessary to address animal welfare concerns. Tuesday's webinar was the last of four sessions that were held each Tuesday in April.

The final panel, “Aftercare for Racing Industry Participants: Owners, Breeders, and Trainers,” was moderated by media personality and aftercare advocate Francesca Cumani, who expertly led the discussion and provided rich insights based on her many years of training and handling horses.

Presenters were Dr. Mark Fisher, Kotare Bioethics Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand; Dr. Eliot Forbes, member, IFAR Steering Committee; Tom Reilly, chief executive officer, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse; and Dr. Christopher Riggs, director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation, and chief advisor, Veterinary Science, The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Reilly talked about horse racing's respected status in Australia but that the industry is still subject to intense criticism, as evidenced by the fallout of a 2019 investigative journalism piece that showed former racehorses being treated inhumanely at an abattoir. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group was established with the support of industry stakeholders following that video, and the group will soon be releasing recommendations for the industry.

Reilly warned that while “Racing is well-accepted in society, there is a small subset in parliament that is opposed to it. The animal welfare lobby has proved to be incredibly effective.”

Fisher discussed the complexity of the animal welfare debate and that different people view an animal's lived experience differently. He highlighted that perhaps the most important parts of animal welfare are enabling animals to be in their natural environment and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect.

Fisher cited that two ways of losing the animal welfare argument with the public are to be reactive rather than proactive and to shy away from building coalitions that include consumers and the public. Keys to public support are being transparent about welfare practices.

“Get your house in order and show it,” he said. “What sort of life do your animals have? How do we know? Can we trust you?”

Riggs' presentation focused on the “one last race syndrome” – to squeeze one more race into a horse before retirement – and the risks associated with that mentality. He also warned of the impact of legal therapeutic medications because they can create a false sense of security as to the state of a horse's joints and should be used judiciously. Riggs called for horsemen to consider all of these factors when contemplating that “one last start.”

Forbes spoke on the aftercare toolkit developed by IFAR, including supply- and demand-based strategies for promoting Thoroughbreds beyond the racetrack. He stressed that aftercare should be a priority for all stakeholders, and a comprehensive aftercare plan includes transition strategies, effective traceability measures, community engagement, advocacy of the Thoroughbred breed, and networking.

“We want to see aftercare structurally embedded in the racing business model of every country and in the heart of every racing participant,” said Forbes. “A caring industry will be a sustainable industry.”

Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR, closed the conference.

“We are delighted by the global reception to this year's IFAR Conference,” said Arbuthnot. “All of our speakers and moderators offered valuable insights to share with our audience, and we are thankful for their participation and commitment to aftercare.

“The wide range of viewers who tuned into each of IFAR's sessions indicates the interest from the Thoroughbred industry in prioritizing aftercare on a global scale, and the IFAR team is here to assist jurisdictions who wish to develop or enhance their programs.”

Recordings of all four sessions of the 2021 IFAR Conference can be viewed at internationalracehorseaftercare.com/help-resources/conference-resources/ifar-conference-2021/.

IFAR has previously been held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation's General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the Asian Racing Conference in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.

IFAR is an independent forum that recognizes geographical and industry differences among racing countries and is designed to enhance Thoroughbred aftercare worldwide. Working with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, IFAR will raise awareness of the importance of welfare for Thoroughbreds, improve education on lifetime care, and help increase demand for former racehorses in other equestrian sports. For more information on IFAR, click here.

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Thoroughbred Makeover Diary: Arktikos, Unwrapping the Package

Arktikos is in the 2020 Class of the Thoroughbred Makeover, so I untied the ribbon on the package last year to begin preparing. Early on I found an easygoing, curious, young horse with a baby brain. I began working on dressage basics with him. He was quick to respond to the leg and learned to go forward and yield quite easily. We worked on basic transitions and simple leg yielding to build balance, obedience, and suppleness. He was calm and happy for grooming, tacking, and in his work.

Secretariat Center Presents ‘Movie Night Under The Stars’ On June 12

The Secretariat Center is excited to announce its first ever “Movie Night Under the Stars” featuring the movie, Secretariat. Movie night will be located on the front lawn of The Secretariat Center with a statue of the great racehorse in the center of the action. The event will feature free popcorn, family friendly fun, and various giveaways and drawings. Attendees can purchase dinner and dessert on site from local food trucks, an ice cream truck and a beer tent. Guests will have the unique experience of an outdoor movie on a real working horse farm, surrounded by retired racehorses on June 12, 2021, gates open at 6:30 pm.

Tickets will go on sale to the public on May 1st. In order to provide a socially distanced experience tickets are limited to 250 attendees. Tickets are $20 and kids under 10 years of age are $10. Get your tickets, grab a blanket, bring the family, and join us for a movie night under the stars. Sponsorships are available as well. Visit www.secretariatcenter.org for ticket sales and contact Shelley Mann at executivedirector@secretariatcenter.org for sponsorship opportunities.

Shelley Mann, the Secretariat Center's Executive Director, shared her excitement: “This event is a first for us and we hope to raise community awareness and support for the equine industry and aftercare efforts. The racehorse industry is a huge part of Lexington, and Kentucky as a whole. It is important to us to share with the community how these wonderful horses can be cared for and thrive after their racing career. This movie night will be a special, family-friendly event, to bring the community together safely, through horses. We are so excited to host this evening of fun and welcome people to our campus.”

The Secretariat Center was founded in 2004 as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for happy, healthy, and successful post-track careers through rehabilitation and by giving them a broad-based foundation of skills to ensure a harmonious match with their adopters. While advocating for the athleticism and versatility of the American Thoroughbred, The Secretariat Center also seeks to provide educational opportunities through horsemanship.

Located at 4155 Walt Robertson Rd., Lexington, KY in the Kentucky Horse Park, the Secretariat Center showcases adoptable Thoroughbreds and uses its illustrious location to herald the athleticism of this amazing breed by teaching new skill sets to horses of all levels of ability. Visit www.secretariatcenter.org to find your next partner, make a donation or to get involved today.

For more information contact Secretariat Center at (859) 246-3080 or info@secretariatcenter.org.

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