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Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Celebrates Full Return Of Preakness Festivities

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will have a lineup of on-site activations during Preakness, kicking off events on Wednesday with the ABR Pre-Preakness Party.

“The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has been a valued partner of the Preakness since 2015,” said Maryland Jockey Club Acting President, Mike Rogers. “We at 1/ST and the Maryland Jockey Club look forward to bringing aftercare to the forefront of the Preakness for many years to come. The good work done by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is absolutely vital to ensuring the safety of our equine athletes and the longevity of the sport.”

“As the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness is the perfect place to bring the conversation of aftercare to the forefront,” said TAA President, Jeffrey Bloom. “The partnership between the Maryland Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is invaluable in forwarding the TAA's mission. I'm excited to be in attendance to represent the TAA as its 2022 board president and am grateful to continue the TAA's many traditions at Pimlico.”

Kicking off with the America's Best Racing (ABR) Pre-Preakness Party with proceeds to benefit the TAA is Wednesday, May 18 at 7 pm ET at Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland. Tickets are still available online for $25 and will be available at the door for $35—tickets include (1) drink ticket, complimentary hors devours, access to an exclusive silent auction, and more.

Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/7th-annual-pre-preakness-party-presented-by-americas-best-racing-taa-tickets-314497680027

The TAA will present a race on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. Race 3, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Race goes off at 12:32 pm ET on Friday, May 20, 2022. A presentation of a TAA blanket and swag bag will be made to the winning connections following the running of the race.

The field of 14 is set to go 1 1/16 miles on the turf in the $58,000 allowance race. Horses representing TAA-supporting breeders, owners, and trainers entered in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Race include:

#10 NEVER EXPLAIN bred by Hidden Brook Farm & Godolphin

On Saturday, Preakness Day, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 11, the Sir Barton Stakes Sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to Benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Post time for the race is 4:53 pm ET and will be followed by a presentation of a TAA blanket and swag bag to the winning connections, as well as a check presentation to the TAA from Paragon Farms.

Ten three-year-old's will make their bid on the dirt going 1 1/16 miles for the $100,000 purse. Horses representing TAA-supporting breeders, owners, and trainers entered in the Sir Barton Stakes Sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry to Benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance include:

#5 B DAWK owned in-part by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Doug O'Neill

#7 GOOD SKATE bred by Brereton Jones

#8 UNIKEE bred by Brereton Jones

#9 BROOKLYN DIAMONDS owned in-part by Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Siena Farm LLC

On both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness day the TAA will host the Best Turned Out Awards in the Pimlico Race Course winner's circle for each race. Additionally, a TAA information table will be set up in the grandstand to allow patrons the opportunity to donate and learn more about accredited aftercare.

TAA supporters 1/ST Racing and Pimlico Race Course will promote aftercare awareness throughout the race day.

About the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Based in Lexington, KY, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, rehome, and retire Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders' Cup, The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members. Since inception in 2012, the TAA has granted more than $24.5 million to accredited aftercare organizations. Currently 82 aftercare organizations comprised of approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation. To learn more about the TAA, visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

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Racing Industry, Animal Welfare Organizations Announce Collaborative Effort To Ban Horse Slaughter

On Tuesday, a diverse group of equine industry and animal welfare organizations announced the “Final Stretch Alliance to End Horse Slaughter”—a collaborative effort to permanently ban the slaughter of American horses. In an open letter to congressional leaders, including US Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and US Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the alliance urged federal lawmakers to pass the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R.3355/S.2732) to permanently ban horse slaughter in the US and end the export of American horses for slaughter in other countries.

The supporting members of the “Final Stretch Alliance to End Horse Slaughter” include: The Jockey Club, the U.S. Trotting Association, the Stronach Group, the Breeders' Cup, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, The Jockey's Guild, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the Maryland Horse Council, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the Animal Welfare Institute, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation, and many other industry voices.

Despite congressional efforts that have effectively blocked the operation of horse slaughterhouses on US soil since 2007, tens of thousands of American horses continue to be shipped to Canadian and Mexican slaughterhouses that supply other countries with horsemeat. With the Triple Crown horse racing season underway and public attention on equine sports, equine industry and welfare groups are calling on federal lawmakers to take action during this critical moment by passing the SAFE Act to end this sad chapter in American history.

In the open letter, the groups highlight a recent poll indicating that an overwhelming majority of Americans (83%) oppose horse slaughter. The letter explains how, despite robust, innovative partnerships between equine industry and welfare groups to support horses transitioning between careers, the looming threat of the horse slaughter pipeline continues to significantly harm industry, enthusiasts, and adoption organizations:

“Racing industry groups have demonstrated real leadership in committing resources for aftercare and career transition programs, instituting and enforcing track policies against sale to slaughter, and spearheading state and federal policies prohibiting horse slaughter. These programs are critical, but until the law shuts down the slaughter pipeline itself, no horse, no matter how beloved or decorated, will be truly safe.”

The SAFE Act would close this legal loophole to stop the funneling of American horses to slaughter for human consumption abroad. Introduced by a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers, the SAFE Act is currently sponsored by nearly half of the US House of Representatives.

“Despite the overwhelming desire among Americans to see horses protected from harm, tens of thousands of horses are transported out of the US each year to be killed abroad,” said Cathy Liss, AWI's president. “Racehorses continue to fall victim to this grisly and predatory trade, so we appreciate the leadership and collaboration of key stakeholders in the racing industry to shutter the slaughter pipeline once and for all. As trusted companions, horses enrich our lives in countless ways; passing the SAFE Act is paramount to ensuring their welfare and safety.”

Click here to read the open letter issued by the “Final Stretch Alliance to End Horse Slaughter.”

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Study: Equine Temperatures Remain Elevated Long After Exercise Concludes

Rising temperatures affect everything on the planet, and horses are no exception. Dr. Elisabeth-Lidwien Verdegaal, an equine internal medicine specialist, says that horses are especially at risk of heat-related issues as they have not been able to acclimate to rising ambient temperatures, reports The Horse.

To better understand how a horse's body temperature increases during exercise, Dr. Verdegaal and a study team had 13 endurance horses and 12 trotting Standardbreds swallow a “smart” thermometer, which transmits real-time data about the horse's core body temperature.

The horses were raced in winter in Australia at moderate speeds for 25, 50, and 75 miles and at intense speed for 5,000 feet.

The scientists learned that each horse is unique in how it heats up and cools down. On average, endurance horses reached peak core temperatures (averaging 102.2 degrees F) nearing the end of each 25-mile leg of the race.

The Standardbreds were hottest (averaging 101.8 degrees F) in the first 40 minutes on average when they stopped racing. Nearly half the Standardbreds had temperatures above 102.2 degrees F over an hour after finishing the race, even when outdoor temperatures were only 64.4 degrees F.

The researchers concluded that cooling-down time is imperative, and horses should be monitored for up to an hour once racing or exercise exertion concludes. Additionally, horses should not be trailered sooner than one hour after competition.

The team also noted that the horses' heart rates did not accurately reflect their temperatures. Many horses still had an elevated core body temperature after their heart rate dropped below 64 beats per minute, which is the level at which the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) allows horses to continue in competition. Dr. Elisabeth-Lidwien Verdegaal suggested that number be reduced to 60 beats per minute to ensure horses are safe to continue competing.

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The scientists also note that a generalized protocol to avoid heat stroke may not be ideal since horses respond differently to heat. The team hopes that the use of the thermometer pill will become more commonplace as horse owners and caretakers become increasingly concerned with their horse's safety and wellbeing. Horse owners will need to consider the horses' training level, hydration, cool-down effectiveness, and acclimatization to the weather.

Trailering And Colic: Is There A Link?

Many horse owners have heard that placing a colicking horse on a trailer and driving him around may offer enough motion to encourage the gas to pass, alleviating the colic episode.

However, is it possible that the opposite may be true? Can a trailer ride cause a horse to colic? EQUUS magazine expert Dr. Anthony Blikslager of North Carolina State University weighed in.

No scientific links have been found between trailering and colic, either in mitigating colic or in causing it, but factors around the traveling could affect the functioning of a horse's gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Blikslager noted that while there is no scientific proof, in his experience the stress placed on a horse for both trailering and what happens when the horse gets off the trailer (like arriving at a horse show) can trigger an episode of colic.

As a response to stress, the horse's pituitary gland releases cortisol-releasing factor (CRF) into the blood, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. It's important to note that this reaction depends on what the horse finds “stressful” and can change over time.

Recent studies in pigs have shown that CRF and cortisol hormones can directly affect the gut when they interact with mast cells found in the gut wall. This is most likely the same in horses, Dr. Blikslager said. When activated, mast cells release substances that alter gut function and change the gut microbiome, which could cause a horse to colic.

Adjusting how a horse is hauled may make him more comfortable, which could help him cope with the trailering experience. Some helpful changes include offering hay, bringing along a buddy, or switching to a style of trailer that offers the horse more space.