TAA | Horse Racing Free Tips

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Grants $3.7 Million To Accredited Organizations

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Nov. 18 that $3.7 million will be awarded as grants to 82 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations that currently hold TAA accreditation.

Since inception in 2012, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has now awarded more than $24.5 million in grants to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations.

“The ability to grant $3.7 million dollars towards the care of retired racehorses is a tremendous achievement,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “As the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance continues to grow to match the needs of our industry, monetary contributions by participants at every level are paramount to the success of our sport.”

“Every donation to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance helps support thousands of retired Thoroughbreds and we are so grateful to our stakeholders, reoccurring and new, who support our network of 82 accredited organizations,” said TAA Funding and Events Manager Emily Scandore.

Earmarked specifically for equine care, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance grants have helped accredited organizations assist more than 13,700 Thoroughbreds at approximately 180 facilities across North America.

Accredited organizations undergo a thorough application and inspection process prior to accreditation being awarded to ensure they meet the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's Code of Standards, which covers five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Facility inspections are conducted at all facilities housing Thoroughbreds for each organization. Ongoing updates and re-inspections are required of all organizations as a condition of accreditation.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is supported by members from every aspect of the Thoroughbred industry, including owners, breeders, trainers, stallion farms, racetracks, sales companies, horsemen's groups, foundations, veterinarians, horseplayers, racing fans, wagering technology companies, and many others.

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 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members. Since inception in 2012, more than $24.5 million has been granted to accredited aftercare organizations. Currently 82 aftercare organizations supporting approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation. To learn more about the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

The post Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Grants $3.7 Million To Accredited Organizations appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

TAA Awards $3.7M to Accredited Organizations

A total of $3.7 million will be awarded as grants to 82 accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Thursday. Since inception in 2012, the TAA has now awarded more than $24.5 million in grants to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations.

“The ability to grant $3.7 million towards the care of retired racehorses is a tremendous achievement,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “As the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance continues to grow to match the needs of our industry, monetary contributions by participants at every level are paramount to the success of our sport.”

The post TAA Awards $3.7M to Accredited Organizations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Accredits 29 Organizations

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced today that 29 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations have been awarded accreditation.

The 29 organizations include 25 previously accredited organizations and four that received accreditation for the first time. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in Thoroughbred aftercare, now has a network of 82 organizations with approximately 180 facilities in North America.

“Congratulations to the 29 organizations who earned their Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation. Receiving that stamp of approval is a true testament to an organization's dedication to providing the best care possible for our Thoroughbreds,” Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance President Jimmy Bell said.

“A total of 82 accredited organizations across North America will represent the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance during our tenth year,” Bell continued. “As we expand our roster of accredited organizations, we continue to encourage industry participants to support the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's mission to provide funding for the thousands of retired racehorses Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations have in their care.”

The 29 organizations earning accreditation this year are: ACTT Naturally, Inc.; After The Homestretch; Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue; Beyond The Roses Equine Rescue & Retirement; Blue Bloods Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement, Inc.; Circle A Home for Horses; Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care (Florida TRAC); Hope After Racing Thoroughbreds; Hope for Horses, Inc.; Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation; James River Horse Foundation; Life Horse; LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society; Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue; New Beginnings Thoroughbreds, Inc.; New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society; Racing For Home, Inc.; Redwings Horse Sanctuary; ReRun, Inc.; Second Wind Thoroughbred Project, Inc.; Secretariat Center; South Florida SPCA; Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue; Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga; Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation; Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc.; Virginia Thoroughbred Project; Win Place Home, Inc.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organizations undergo a thorough application and inspection process prior to accreditation being awarded to ensure they meet Code of Standards, which covers five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Facility inspections are conducted at all facilities housing Thoroughbreds for each organization. Ongoing updates and re-inspections are required of all organizations as a condition of accreditation.

“As a member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Accreditation Committee, its eye opening to see first-hand how much goes into the lengthy process of reviewing and vetting every single organization,” said Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance board member Susie Hart. “Earning accreditation is no easy feat and I feel confident with the 82 amazing groups we will represent for 2022.”

All organizations that hold Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation are eligible to receive financial grants to support the care of their Thoroughbreds. Grant applications are currently being reviewed and the total grant amount awarded by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be announced this month. Since 2012, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has awarded $20.7 million to accredited organizations.

The full list of 82 organizations, information about the accreditation process, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's Code of Standards can be found on ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

The post Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Accredits 29 Organizations appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Pensioned Mushka Comes Full Circle

New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford will never forget the excitement she felt watching the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic as 16-1 shot Mushka (Empire Maker) kept passing one horse afer another in the stretch to close for second. As a horse taking part in the first ever New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge program, Mushka's performance meant a $36,000 donation from owner Betty Moran. It was a lifeline for a growing charity dedicated to finding second homes for the sport's retirees.

“I'll never forget how excited we were,” Ford said. “I don't know if it hit us right away so far as how large a donation that was going to be. I'll never forget her because she meant so much to our program.”

Twelve years later, Mushka is once again linked to New Vocations.

After finishing her racing career, Mushka, now 16, wound up with SF Bloodstock as a broodmare. Over the years, she produced five foals and had two winners. But she had fertility problems as she got older and was barren in each of the last three years. It was time to find her a new home.

“As time has gone by it's become impossible for her to maintain a pregnancy,” said Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock. “Rather than continuing to force the issue with a 90% chance of the same outcome we felt it was time to let her retire.”

Ryan reached out to New Vocations asking about retirement options. New Vocations itself was not a perfect fit as its focus is on retraining retirees for second careers. At her age, Mushka was not a good candidate for that program. So Ford turned to New Vocations' partners at Mereworth Farm.

Mushka wins the Demoiselle as a 2yo in 2007 | Sarah Andrew

In 2015, New Vocations was given a free long-term lease of 85 acres on Mereworth Farm in Lexington by the Susan S. Donaldson Foundation. When Donaldson, who acquired the farm in 1986, passed away in 2011, Mereworth was home to 130 retired broodmares, all of which she owned. She left money for the farm to be run so that her retired broodmares could spend their lives roaming around the fields.

Soon thereafter, Mereworth opened its doors to outside horses and now cares for 170 retirees. The farm's mission is to provide lifelong care for unwanted horses that would otherwise be threatened with euthanasia because of injury or old age.

Mereworth is still guided by Donaldson's vision, that all retired race horses deserve a home and pampering.

“Mereworth the best kept secret in the horse business,” said Mereworth Farm Manager Jimmy Boyd. “Its like working in a nursing home. But at the same time if we have a 25-year-old mare who is colicking she's going to go to the hospital and get colic surgery. And she'll be well taken care of.”

With New Vocations and Mereworth having joined forces, the farm has the best of both worlds. New Vocations handles the horses that are good candidates for a second career and adoption. Mereworth takes in those who aren't able to go on to another career.

“It's been a great partnership, a dream partnership,” said Ford, who added that New Vocations normally sends about five or six horses a year to Mereworth.

“There are those horses who can't go on to a second career. Mereworth Farm does such a phenomenal job with the long-term lifetime care of these horses. That's something that we, unfortunately, are not able to provide on our own. That they can do this means the world.”

New Vocations was founded in 1992 and has grown into the sport's largest racehorse adoption program. To get there, it has had to be creative and proactive when it comes to raising money. In 2009, it came up with an initiative in which owners of Breeders' Cup horses were solicited to pledge a portion of the horse's earnings from the Breeders' Cup races to New Vocations. They had just five pledges that first year. Among them was Moran's promise to donate 10% of Mushka's earnings.

“I'll never forget the first year that we came up with the idea of doing the Breeders' Cup pledge in 2009,” Ford said. “It was an unknown and we didn't know if it was going to work or how it would be received. Going into the Distaff, we were really rooting for Mushka. Betty was such a great supporter and there was the fact that her pledge was so generous. She ran second and that really meant a lot. At the end of the day, that donation lodged what we've now been doing for 12 years.”

During her career, Mushka won the GI Spinster S. via disqualification as well as the GII Demoiselle S. and the GIII Glens Falls H. She earned $1,067,788.
That New Vocations, which serves more than 600 horses each year is able to take in so many horses has a lot to do with the success of the Breeders' Cup pledge program, which has become its largest fundraiser. Many of the biggest owners and trainers in the sport have come on board. The list of those who have taken part over the years totals more than 150 individuals, stables and farms and includes the likes of Sol Kumin, Bobby Flay, WinStar Farm, Spendthrift Farm, Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown, Stonestreet Stables. Mrs. John Magnier, Seth Klarman and West Point Thoroughbreds. Last year, 50 Breeders' Cup starters were part of the pledge program and New Vocations raised $150,000.

That's allowed New Vocations to open its doors to thousands of horses. Now, Mushka, who kickstarted the pledge program, is among them, which means she'll live out her life in comfort.

“When SF reached out to us saying they had a retired broodmare for us and it was Mushka we were thrilled,” Ford said. “It's great to be able to give her the special type of retirement she deserves.”

New Vocations and Mereworth Farm are both accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the official aftercare partner of the Breeders' Cup.

The post Pensioned Mushka Comes Full Circle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post