NY Aftercare Day at Saratoga Aug. 17

The New York Racing Association, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and New York Thoroughbred Breeders will host the third annual New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day Aug. 17 at Saratoga Race Course.

The featured race on Thursday's card will be the $125,000 Rick Violette, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for New York-bred sophomores named for the late trainer and NYTHA President who spearheaded the creation of the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program and TAKE THE LEAD Retirement Program.

Representatives from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations will be on-site to educate both racing fans and the general public about the importance of responsible aftercare efforts, including Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue, ACTT Naturally, Equine Advocates, Lollipop Farm, Lucky Orphans, New Vocations, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, ReRun, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, and Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga.

New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day will begin with an on-track demonstration of retired racehorses showcasing the skills learned in their second careers. New Vocations will be the first to demonstrate the Thoroughbred's athleticism with a jumping display prior to the day's races, and ReRun will follow after the second race with flatwork/dressage exhibition.

The Horse Sense stall, located just outside of the Saratoga grandstand, will feature retired racehorses from Old Friends at Cabin Creek between 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and from the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation between 1:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

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TAKE2 to Recognize Tbred Hunter, Jumper Divisions at USEF Shows

The TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program will recognize the results and count the points earned by TAKE2 Thoroughbred League members competing in the rated Thoroughbred Hunter and Thoroughbred Jumper Divisions at all USEF horse shows. This rule change will be retroactive to the beginning of the current TAKE2 season, which kicked off Aug. 29, 2022, and runs through Aug. 27, 2023.

“When we started TAKE2, we required the USEF-rated horse shows to complete an application to affiliate with our program,” TAKE2 Executive Director Andy Belfiore explained.

“Unfortunately, there were horse shows that offered the rated Thoroughbred Divisions but did not submit the application and as a result, we had League members who missed out on points. We felt it was in the best interest of our League members, and would best help us fulfill our mission of promoting second careers for retired racehorses, if we modified our rules, discontinuing the application requirement and expanding the TAKE2 network.”

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary in 2022, TAKE2 has grown from just a handful of horse shows in three states to more than 400 horse shows nationwide. The program was created by the late Rick Violette Jr., then president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), in 2012 to put the spotlight on the success of Thoroughbreds in the show ring.

“Rick would be overwhelmed by the support TAKE2 has received not only from the racing industry, but also from the many Thoroughbred lovers in the sport horse world,” Belfiore said, adding, “We encourage horse shows to brand the rated Thoroughbred Divisions as TAKE2, so we can continue to raise awareness and create second career opportunities for retired racehorses.”

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MVP In The Show Ring: Former Racehorse Stars In $20,000 TAKE2 Finals

He finished at the back of the pack in every race he ever started, but MVP beat all comers to win the 2021 TAKE2 Hunter Final at the Kentucky National Horse Show in Lexington Sunday afternoon. The splashy chestnut, owned and ridden by Tess Fortune and trained by Chris Bennings, was a model of consistency through the two rounds of the event to earn the championship sash over 15 competitors. Frank and Susan Seman's Irascibull, ridden by Jenna Drago and trained by Scott Petrie, was the reserve champion.

Riley, trained by Megan O'Dwyer Thiel and owned and ridden by 16-year-old Cyanea Robine, was the winner of the TAKE2 Jumper Final, going clear in the jump-off to nip Kathryn Currey's A Lil Evil.

The $20,000 TAKE2 Hunter and Jumper Finals were created in 2019 to honor the memory of TAKE2 founder Rick Violette Jr., who passed away in 2018. A total of 32 horses representing 14 states traveled to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete this year.

Based in Louisville, Ky., Tess Fortune only had to drive a little more than an hour to get to the Finals. She'd made the trip twice before, finishing second with MVP in the Finals in 2019 and 2020. The two have been a team for seven years, ever since the 10-year-old made two inauspicious starts at Oaklawn Park under his Jockey Club name of Kit's Captain, and was retired from racing through the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association's Galloping Out program. Galloping Out has long been a supporter of the TAKE2 Program.

“He ran twice and he was slow,” Fortune said with a smile. “I watched the videos, and he was last in both; in one, he was very, very last.”

The young horsewoman connected with Captain, as he is known around the barn, by chance.

“My hunter was hurt, and I was looking for another, but on a very low budget,” she recalled. “I was working at a tack shop, and someone from Galloping Out came by with a flyer. I reached out, and they sent me videos of three horses. He had a lot of white, and he was by far my favorite.”

Fortune knew from the start she had something special in MVP.

“He looked like a hunter from the first day I tried him,” she said. “He's the best horse. He's very opinionated, and super picky – he'll eat peppermints and carrots, but he doesn't like weird snacks. But he's a very, very good boy.”

The two have won numerous championships in the TAKE2 and the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions. They will head to Harrisburg next month to compete in the Zone 2 Hunter Championship. Fortune has a soft spot for the TAKE2 Thoroughbred Program.

“I love TAKE2,” she said. “I love that the horses don't age out of the program, you can develop a horse properly and continue to show in the division. With the Green Hunters, you feel rushed, and off-the-track Thoroughbreds are as green as they come. With TAKE2, you can take the time you need and use it as a stepping stone to other divisions. The program is fair and friendly to the horses.”

She added: “TAKE2 is absolutely increasing the popularity of the Thoroughbreds. You can see that the quality of the competition in the division is better every year. The program is encouragement to get the Thoroughbreds going again.”

Andy Belfiore, executive director of the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, was thrilled with the turn out for the Finals. “It is wonderful to see all these amazing Thoroughbreds and their enthusiastic owners, riders, and trainers demonstrating just what Thoroughbreds can accomplish after they leave the track,” she said. “The mission that Rick Violette set for us is to pave the way to happy and healthy second careers for retired racehorses. I think he would be gratified at the support our program receives from both the show horse and the racing communities.”

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TAKE2 Finals Held Sunday in Lexington

A total of 32 horses representing 14 states traveled to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington this past weekend to take part in the 2021 TAKE2 Hunter and Jumper Finals at the Kentucky National Horse Show Sunday afternoon. The $20,000 event was created in 2019 to honor late TAKE2 founder Rick Violette Jr. A chestnut named MVP, owned and ridden by Tess Fortune and trained by Chris Bennings, took the hunter final. Teenager Cyanea Robine rode Riley to victory in the jumper final.

“It is wonderful to see all these amazing Thoroughbreds and their enthusiastic owners, riders, and trainers demonstrating just what Thoroughbreds can accomplish after they leave the track,” said Andy Belfiore, executive director of the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program. “The mission that Rick Violette set for us is to pave the way to happy and healthy second careers for retired racehorses. I think he would be gratified at the support our program receives from both the show horse and the racing communities.”

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