social media | Horse Racing Free Tips

Off 16-Month Layoff, Grade 1 Winner Green Gratto Entered For $20,000 Tag At Monmouth

Found to be infertile and thus gelded, 10-year-old Green Gratto had been entered for a comeback last fall at Gulfstream when a social media firestorm forced him to be withdrawn from that race. Now, according to the Daily Racing Form, the Grade 1 winner has been entered in a $20,000 claiming race on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

“I know the big uproar it caused the last time he was entered, but I think everyone needs to know that this is best for the horse and he has a forever home here,” co-owner Norman Wilson told drf.com.

Unraced since April of 2018, Green Gratto was under the care of trainer Tamara Levy when his first comeback attempt was spoiled. He returned to Wilson's farm, where Wilson said the gelding became listless and unhappy, before he was sent to trainer Kathleen O'Connell in 2020.

Green Gratto has recorded three workouts at Monmouth since late June, and shows works at Tampa Bay Downs as early as Feb. 8 of this year. The gelding is listed at 8-1 on the morning line for Sunday's six-furlong contest, which is restricted to New Jersey-breds.

Prior to his unsuccessful stallion career, Green Gratto amassed earnings of $1,149,202 with a record of nine wins, nine seconds, and nine thirds from 65 starts. His graded stakes victories include the G1 Carter in 2017, G3 Toboggan in 2017 and G3 Fall Heighweight in 2015.

Social Media Assists In Equine Adoptions Amid Pandemic

Social media has been a game-changer for animal adoptions of all kinds; it allows organizations to reach more people for less cost than traditional print or radio campaigns. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced people into their homes, many with more idle time than usual, they became a captive audience spending more time on social media, a fact that wasn't lost on New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, the nation's oldest and largest racehorse rehoming program.

Anna Ford, Thoroughbred Program Director at New Vocations in Lexington, KY, spoke to the ASPCA about how the program uses social media to help their horses find homes. In April and May, New Vocations adopted out 163 horses into new homes—an astounding number in and of itself, but adding a pandemic to the mix makes that number even more impressive.

Anna credits adding in daily Facebook Live “meet-and-greets” with adoptable horses and the lowering of adoption fees to assisting in moving so many horses. The videos were then shared on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, with an exponential growth in viewership.

New Vocations tailors its content to each platform; on Twitter the program focuses mainly on the racing industry, and Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are where potential adopters generally look for horses. The Facebook Live sessions have been extremely well received; potential adopters feel they get to “know” the horses a bit more than what we post online in their biographies.

The program plans to continue the Facebook Live sessions even after businesses reopen across the country.

Truth: One Of The ’52 Free Thoroughbreds’ Is Excelling In Her Career

The “52 Free Thoroughbreds” post is again making its rounds on social media, this time edited to note that the owner died of COVID-19. Originally posted on January 27 of 2011, each post read something along the lines of: “FREE HORSES!!!! 52 thoroughbred horses need homes. Will go to Sugarcreek this Sat. for slaughter. Gentleman died and his son wants nothing to do with them. Most broodmares are broke and some are in foal weanling, yearlings, 2 yrs. and 3 yrs. old most are gelded. FREE and papered. Friend of the deceased is trying to find homes. 440-463-4288 Barnesville, OH. Please copy and paste this on your status. I would hate to see all these horses put down. PLEASE someone help they are FREE and papered!!!!!!!!”

The horses in the post are real: They were owned by Ohio horse breeder and track veterinarian Dr. Daniel Stearns, who died in January 2011. Stearns was a founder of the Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association and served as president of Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protection Association. His son had no interest in continuing his dad's racing and breeding program, and sought to dismantle it as rapidly as possible.

He asked Lynn Boggs, a friend of his dad, for her assistance in rehoming the 52 Thoroughbreds. Boggs made the plea on social media and was able to place all 52 horses by Feb. 1. One of the horses, a pregnant mare registered with the Jockey Club as Gray Hot Momma (Magnificent One x Hot Plate), was brought home by Joanne May.

“Mayzie” delivered a healthy colt and was then rehomed with Katherine Trimble of Trinity Farm, a nonprofit therapeutic riding facility in Streetsboro, Ohio. In addition to assisting riders with special needs, Mayzie also entered training to become an event horse. Trinity Farm teaches riders with and without special needs, encouraging upper-level riders to give back through the riding program.

Katherine says Mayzie is a brave and kind, excelling both as a therapy horse and in the competition arena. Though Trinity Farm does not typically use green Thoroughbreds as the new mount of choice for their therapy program Mayzie has been an amazing exception, proving invaluable to the program.