Tag: Horse Care

Old Friends' Belmont Stakes winners, Sarava and Birdstone, are pleased and honored to host a retirement celebration for their Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado.

When: Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held rain or shine.

Where: Old Friends Dream Chase Farm, 1841 Paynes Depot Rd., Georgetown, Ky.

Admission: Free. Interested attendees must RSVP to: barbara@oldfriendsequine.org

Prado, 56, who announced his retirement via a tweet on June 20, rode Old Friends resident stallions Sarava and Birdstone to Belmont Stakes victories in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He has been a longtime supporter of the farm and its mission of Thoroughbred aftercare.

Prado looks back on a prestigious 37-year career. After relocating from his native Peru to the United States in 1986, he began riding first in Florida and then in Massachusetts and Maryland, where he became the leading rider in that state in 1991-1993, and 1997-1999.

He got his big break in 1999 when an accident sidelined jockey Richard Migliore and trainer John Kimmel offered Prado his mounts.

His career highlights include the 2006 Kentucky Derby aboard Barbaro, the two Belmont Stakes riding Sarava and Birdstone, and five Breeders' Cup victories, including the 2010 Breeders' Cup Sprint aboard Runhappy.

He has been awarded numerous accolades, including the 2006 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey, the 2006 Mike Venezia Memorial Award, and the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2003.

Prado leaves the sport as the eighth winningest jockey in the sport's history with a record of 7,119 wins, 6,245 seconds, 5,490 thirds, and over $272 million in purse earnings in 39,725 career starts.

He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2008.

“It's an honor to be present at Old Friends,” said Prado. “They really take care of the horses after their careers, giving them the best life possible every single day. I'm very proud to be part of that organization.

“It's an honor for me, also, to share this celebration with my buddies, Birdstone and Sarava,” Prado added. “I'm very excited to see them again. I wish them a good, long life. I know they are in a very beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful people who really care about the horses.”

Michael Blowen, President and founder of Old Friends, has known Prado for a long time and is looking forward to holding the event in honor of his friend.

“Edgar Prado has exuded class and integrity ever since I first met him at Suffolk Downs in the mid-80s,” Blowen said. “When he decided to retire sound, I thought it'd be a lot of fun to share his decision with his Belmont buddies Sarava and Birdstone. Like all of his other fans, I can't wait to see him.”

Celebration Highlights

• Meet jockey Edgar Prado
• Add your name to a book of well wishes
• Edgar Prado collector card giveaway
• Lite lunch and beverages
• Trivia contest
• Items available for purchase:
  • Sarava and Birdstone bookmarks: package of 2, $10 each.
  • Sarava and Birdstone cards: package of 2, $10 each
• Old Friends Edgar Prado Commemorative T-Shirt Fundraiser
  • Limited Number Available
  • To purchase a T-Shirt, click here
  • or go to the following URL: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/edgarprado

The celebration is free and open to the public.

Please RSVP to: barbara@oldfriendsequine.org

The post Old Friends To Host Retirement Part For Hall Of Fame Jockey Edgar Prado On July 15 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Returning to New Vocations at Mereworth Farm for the second year, the Real Rider Cup welcomed 26 riders and hundreds of spectators for a lively and entertaining evening of show jumping competition for charity. Created by Anita Motion, the Real Rider Cup brings together personalities from across the breeding and racing industry to increase awareness and raise funds for Thoroughbred aftercare, with each rider pledging to raise at least $1,000.

Riders, mounted on off-track Thoroughbreds and wearing the silks of their employers, colleagues, and clients, contended a winding course of fences with the fastest clear rounds taking home top honors. Connections and institutions represented included Godolphin, Bonne Chance, a 1/ST Racing team lead by Aaron Gryder, Steve Asmussen, Adena Springs, Richard Mandella, Calumet Farm, and Margaux Farm. Noteworthy horses included the first son of Zenyatta, Cozmic One, with Hidden Brook Farm's Sergio de Sousa in the tack, and international graded stakes winner, The Lir Jet (IRE) piloted by Aisling Carroll. Owners LNJ Foxwoods were on hand to see MGSW United, adorned in his 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf saddle towel, take on the course with Madison Scott. Retired champion jockey turned aftercare and retraining advocate, Rosie Napravnik, led a course walk for riders and “the voice of Fasig-Tipton,” Terence Collier, served as emcee, providing color commentary.

Awards were given for individuals and teams who hit the board, placing Win, Place, or Show, as well as a Highest Earner Award for the individual with the highest fundraising total at the end of the evening. The defending 2022 RRC Lexington Champion Jesslyn Woodall clinched the win aboard her own Storm Threat, who had won his Young Event Horse class earlier that day. Jesslyn is pointing “Ted” to the Thoroughbred Makeover in October.

Individual results: Win: Jesslyn Woodall on Storm Threat; Place: Keira Nygaard on Judge Johnny; Show: Jocelyn Brooks on Perpetual Optimism

Team Results: Win: Backside Beauties (Keira Nygaard, Brooke Baker, Lucy Hoeppner, Kara Lee, Sophie Doyle); Place: Margaux Farm (Louise Gillam, Natasia Lind, Jesslyn Woodall, Jennifer Reisenbichler); Show: 1/ST Racing (Jennifer O'Neill, Jhett Jenkins, Aaron Gryder, Anne Czerwonka, Marina Cable

Having raised over $17,000, junior rider Aurea Dove took home the honor of Highest Earner, eclipsing the record previously held by her mother, Larkspur Carroll.

As the evening wound to a close, total fundraising activity surpassed $78,000, setting the event within striking distance of achieving $500,000 raised for aftercare since its inception.

“When the event began in 2017, none of us could have imagined it would have the impact or touch as many lives as it has,” said founder Anita Motion. “We're honored and humbled to be the stewards of this phenomenal cause and it brings us so much joy to hear members of our community say that the Real Rider Cup is on their bucket list. We look forward to seeing more of you at the Fair Hill leg in September!”

With the second leg of the Real Rider Cup set to be held at Fair Hill Sept. 15, there is still plenty of time to get involved. Rider registration is open through Sept. 8 with a variety of sponsorship packages available.

View full results and learn more at www.therealridercup.com.

Proceeds of the Real Rider Cup benefit the Retired Racehorse Project, New Vocations Thoroughbred Adoption and the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show. 

Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show is a 501c3 organization supporting riders of Thoroughbreds by providing affordable show fees, scholarships, stakes classes and prizes in every division. By supporting their riders, we are helping more OTTBs find second careers. 

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium  the world's largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently-retired racehorses, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, produces the Master Class retraining clinic series, and presents programming at major horse expos and events around the country. The RRP maintains an educational library of content to empower more equestrians to ride a Thoroughbred.

Founded in 1992, New Vocations has grown into the largest racehorse adoption program in the country. Its mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorse has led to the placement of over 7,000 individuals, with 500 retirees entering the program each year. With facilities in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, New Vocations serves over 40 racetracks, working directly with owners and trainers in need of aftercare options.

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High costs or limited availability of hay may have horse owners considering alternative forage options including hay cubes. Hay cubes are a good nutritive substitute for long-stem hay, but little research has looked at the potential impact on feeding behavior. Researchers in Austria evaluated the effect of forage type (hay cube vs long-stem hay) on dust production and chewing activity when fed to horses.

Six horses between the ages of 4 and 16 were pastured together during the day and individually housed overnight. During the trial periods, the horses were fed one of two treatments overnight: 11 pounds as-fed of long-stem hay or hay cubes. Each horse was subjected to each treatment with a 14-day washout period in between. The long-stem hay consisted mainly of meadow fescue, timothy, tall oat grass and cocksfoot. The hay cubes were a 50 percent mix of meadow grass and alfalfa. The horses readily consumed both forage types. Chewing activity was recorded using halter sensors and a dust measuring instrument was placed to measure dust particles near the mouth and nose areas of the horse.

The horses spent a shorter time (67 minutes less) eating hay cubes compared to long-stem hay. Additionally, fewer total chews were observed with hay cubes (15,110) compared to long-stem hay (20,299). However, the number of chews per minute were similar between hay cubes (70.6) and long-stem hay (72.6). While the concentration of inhalable dust particles was higher for the hay cubes, dust concentrations were generally low and considered safe for both forage types.

Maximizing the amount of time a horse spends eating supports their digestive health and helps fulfill their instinct to forage. When long-stem hay is scarce, hay cubes can serve as an appropriate forage alternative. Using hay cubes as a partial replacement for long-stem hay can help you stretch your hay supply, while encouraging more foraging and chewing activity than hay cubes alone.

Sign up for the University of Minnesota Extension newsletter here.

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A new study was published on the use of hair as a matrix for the long-term detection of bisphosphonates in horses. The study was in response to a special call for bisphosphonate research by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation in 2019.

“Over the past few years, bisphosphonate use has become a concern with regard to the welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “We are very thankful for the generous support by Vinnie and Teresa Viola's St. Elias Stables and their ability to recognize the importance of this research in promoting equine safety and welfare.”

“Bisphosphonates are labeled for horses 4 years and older to manage navicular symptoms,” said Dr. Johnny Smith, A. Gary Lavin Research Chair of Grayson. “Unfortunately, people were using them in young horses, which is detrimental because bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption, can stay in a horse's system for years, and can have long-term effects on bone.”

The new study found that hair testing can be used to consistently detect bisphosphonates for up to six months after administration. Previously published studies, including one conducted by the same group and funded under the same special call, demonstrated that in some cases bisphosphonates can be detected in blood and urine for extended periods of time, but detection using these matrices can be unpredictable and less consistent.

“Our study from 2020 showed that clodronate and tiludronate reside in the bone for extended periods,” said the study's principal investigator, Dr. Heather K. Knych, who is with the K.L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Lab's Pharmacology section and the Department of Molecular Biosciences, at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis. “This can lead to lasting pharmacologic effects and increase the risks of injury to racehorses. Being able to detect bisphosphonates long term in hair benefits the athletes and increases the integrity of the sport.”

Bisphosphonates are considered a banned substance for covered horses under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control program. A covered horse that tests positive is subject to lifetime ineligibility.

The study was conducted by Knych; D.S. McKemie, Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis; S. Yim, K.L. Maddy Equine Analytical Pharmacology Lab, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis; S.D. Stanley, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, MH Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, Kentucky; and R.M. Arthur, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis. Read the study here: doi.org/10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123789.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1940, the foundation has provided more than $40 million to fund more than 426 projects at 45 universities in North America and overseas. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

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