aftercare | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dr. Richard Bowman: Guardian Of Minnesota Racehorses

Prior to the intervention of Dr. Richard Bowman, the bulk of racehorses retiring from Minnesota racetracks were sent to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada, reports the Star Tribune.

A vet with the Minnesota Racing Commission, Bowman was first asked to help find a retiring racehorse a home in the late 1990s. Now, he gets asked for help several times each week. When he learned of how many horses needed assistance in finding homes when they could no longer race, he opened his 4,000-acre cattle ranch in North Dakota to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses that are too injured, old, lame or slow to continue their careers as racehorses at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN.

At the ranch, which is nine hours from Canterbury Park, he focuses on rehabilitating and adopting out as many horses as he can (nearly 600 so far). The horses that are too unsound remain in his care at the ranch indefinitely—there are 35 such horses on the ranch currently. Now a 501(c)3 charity called Bowman Second Chance Thoroughbred Adoption, the program is famous for welcoming every horse in any condition, taking in the horses many others will not.

Each horse that enters Bowman's program is assessed for personality, temperament and ability. Once rehabilitated, the horses that are adoptable are paired with an adopter. Bowman's horses have been adopted out all over the United States; they do everything from hunters, jumpers, eventing, cattle work, polo ponies, dressage and other disciplines.

Bowman is one of three Minnesota Racing Commission veterinarians, along with Dr. Christy Klatt and Dr. Lynn Hovda. The trio are tasked with ensuring the horses racing at the state's tracks are sound and healthy to race; they also assist with rehoming nearly 60 racehorses each year.

Some of the horses are adopted directly from the track; those in need of temporary shelter go to Hovda's farm. Most of the horses head West to the Bowman ranch, where they settle into a less-pampered lifestyle before they are prepared for adoption. In addition to horses retiring from racing finding homes, the veterinarians team with Canterbury Park officials to pull two to three horses with ties to the state's tracks from kill pens each year. They are able to prevent these horses from being shipped to slaughterhouses outside the U.S.

Learn more about Bowman Second Chance Thoroughbred Adoption here.

Thoroughbred Makeover Diary: Mr. Park Shines, Big Plans Ahead

It's been a little while since we've updated everyone on Mr. Park and his journey to the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover! As most of you know, the Retired Racehorse Project had to push back the Makeover due to the pandemic, so he will actually be competing against the other 2020 horses in October of 2021. This was a bit of a bummer, but I deeply feel it was the most responsible choice for the competition to make. We support them 100% as we know it was a super difficult decision.

Relationship Building Key To Second Stride Success

Kim Smith founded Second Stride, Inc., in 2005 to assist horses and people involved in Thoroughbred racing by capitalizing on her vast network of people involved in the industry. The program, which adopts out retired racehorses into second careers, is based out of Moserwood Farm in Crestwood, KY. The program typically has between 15 and 20 horses in its care at one time, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Smith works diligently to make placing horses in the program as easy as possible. Owners retiring horses to the program need not complete the transfer paperwork themselves; the program also takes horses in on very short notice and there is no mandatory monetary donation for horses entering the program, though most owners and trainers will offer one, Smith says.

The goal is to make it easy for those in the industry to do the right thing—and to help as many horses as possible. Smith is very focused on relationship building, knowing that if she takes on a horse that requires extensive rehabilitation, down the road, that same owner may also offer her a sound horse that is retiring that needs no rehab.

Horses accepted into Second Stride need not be recently retired, either; the program accepts broodmares as well as stallions, which are gelded upon entering the program. Assisted by many volunteers, horses are typically adopted quickly; the program has rehomed over 1,000 horses since its inception, placing them in homes all over the country and in a variety of disciplines.

With the increase in Thoroughbred-specific shows and events like the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover, many horses retiring sound are being sold privately. Smith said she wishes more owners and trainers would consider donating their sound horses to nonprofit aftercare organizations. Sound horses can be adopted out for a higher fee than those horses with limited second career options, helping fund the horses that need longer-term care or more rehabilitation before they are rideable and able to be adopted out, she notes,

For more information about Second Stride, Inc., click here.

TAA Named Official Aftercare Partner of 2020 Breeders’ Cup

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has been named the official aftercare partner of the 2020 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland. The TAA is also an official charity of the Breeders' Cup.

The TAA fundraises to award annual grants to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare nonprofits. At this year's Breeders' Cup, the TAA is asking connections of Breeders' Cup entrants to pledge a percentage of their potential Breeders' Cup earnings to the TAA. Those interested in making a pledge can contact the TAA office at info@thoroughbredaftercare.org, 859-224-2756 or by visiting ThoroughbredAftercare.org/Pledge.

“It is our privilege to see Thoroughbreds at their finest moments in the Breeders' Cup World Championships and it is this industry's collective responsibility to see to their aftercare when the celebrations are over,” said Dora Delgado, TAA board member and executive vice president and chief racing officer at Breeders' Cup. “As a proud founding member and supporter of the TAA's mission and vision, we partner with them in their work and dedication to Thoroughbred aftercare.”

During the World Championships, the TAA will present the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2), formerly the Marathon Stakes. In addition, the TAA has partnered with TVG to be a part of the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), the feature race on Future Stars Friday Nov. 6.

As a seed money donor, the Breeders' Cup has been a supporter of the TAA since its inception, along with Keeneland and The Jockey Club.

“While this year's event may be different, we are honored to be a partner of the Breeders' Cup and we are grateful for their ongoing support,” TAA President John Phillips said. “Aftercare is our responsibility to the horse and our obligation to the sport. We encourage those who are racing at the highest level in the World Championships to give back to secure a future for our horses and for our industry.”

Learn more here.

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