thoroughbred aftercare | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stronach Group And PETA Urge Ban On Sale Of Thoroughbreds To South Korea, Citing Slaughter Concerns

The Stronach Group has joined together with animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a call to ban the sale of Thoroughbreds to South Korea without better assurances for aftercare. PETA released a video investigation of horse slaughter in South Korea in spring 2019, claiming the practice is a common way of dealing with unwanted horses and that Korean slaughterhouses violated the country's Animal Protection Act.

A subsequent investigation by the Korean government resulted in fines for the Jeju Livestock Cooperative Association and two of its employees for killing horses in front of others, which is judged to be an unnecessary stressor. Workers shown hitting horses in the head were not fined, according to PETA.

The Stronach Group's Belinda Stronach joined with PETA to issue the call for a sales ban after learning stallion Private Vow was slaughtered in Korea sometime this year. Private Vow had been sold to stud in South Korea in 2015 after seven years at Red River Farms in Louisiana.

The Blood-Horse contacted Red River's Jay Adcock, who said he had no idea the 17-year-old stallion had died until he saw the statement from PETA on Wednesday. Private Vow had been sold from the farm that purchased him from Adcock to a private breeder before his death.

The Stronach Group urged that sales companies, breeders, and owners should prohibit the sale of Thoroughbreds to South Korean “without the meaningful and binding assurances that these noble animals will be protected after their racing and breeding careers.”

‘Awesome Indeed’: Awesome Again Dies At 26, Full Veterinary Report Pending

Old Friends distributed the following press release on Dec. 16:

1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again died very suddenly yesterday at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. The stallion was 26.

Michael Blowen, founder and President of Old Friends, made the announcement this morning.

The exact cause of death is unknown; however, a full necropsy is pending and a full veterinary report will follow.

The Canadian-bred son of Deputy Minister, Awesome Again had an exemplary resume as both a racehorse and a stallion. He broke his maiden at Hollywood Park in just his second start as a 3-year-old in 1997. He returned a few weeks later to capture that year's Queen's Plate Stakes at Woodbine. Back in the U.S. that summer the son of Deputy Minister went on to win the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and was third to Deputy Commander in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

At four, he completed an undefeated season that included five graded stakes victories, among them the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), the Whitney Handicap (G1), and one of the most memorable editions of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), where, looking defeated, he rallied in the stretch to defeat Grade 1 winners Coronado's Quest and Swain and that year's Kentucky Derby/Preakness hero, Silver Charm.

He retired from racing in 1998 with nine wins from 12 starts and earnings of $4,374,590.

As significant in the breeding shed as he was on the track, Awesome again sired three champions: Ghostzapper, 2004 Horse of the Year and champion older horse; Ginger Punch, 2007 champion older mare; and Nominee, a multiple champion in Trinidad and Tobago. His other elite runners include Old Friends retirees Game on Dude — who captured 14 graded stakes and is the only three-time winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in history — and Awesome Gem, who captured the Hollywood Gold Cup at age seven; Breeder's Cup Distaff winner Round Pond; Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko; and 2019 Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston.

He sired 13 millionaires and five multimillionaires as well as four Breeders' Cup Champions. Awesome Again was also the first Breeders' Cup Classic winner to sire a Breeders' Cup Classic winner (Ghostzapper).

Awesome Again had been retired from stud duty at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs in Paris, Ky., in 2019 and was pensioned to Old Friends in October of this year along with the stallions Milwaukee Brew and Silver Max.

“Anyone who ever saw Awesome Again on the racetrack or at Adena Springs knew he was aptly-named,” said Old Friends' Blowen. “I'm just sorry his time at Old Friends was so short because I know he would have made a searing, lasting impression on his many fans, and I'm so sorry that circumstances prevented him from displaying his greatness for a lot longer. Awesome, indeed.”

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James Bell Elected President Of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's board of directors elected James G. Bell as president for the 2021 term, and also elected new board members at its meeting on Dec. 14.

Bell, president and racing manager of Godolphin, served as TAA president in 2014. During his tenure at Godolphin, he has overseen the careers of Sheikh Mohammed's many U.S.-based Grade 1 winners including Bernardini, It's Tricky, Cocoa Beach, Music Note, Questing, Better Lucky, Maxfield, and Essential Quality, among others. He has held various positions on industry and community boards, including the The Jockey Club, Keeneland Association, Fayette Alliance, Thoroughbred Club of America, and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, to name just a few.

“Seemingly, you can step aside but not away from an organization so meaningful and impactful as the TAA,” Bell said. “We've had great leadership, a totally dedicated staff, and a mission that continues to need fulfillment. As a part of the team, I'm looking forward to another year of new milestones and new relationships.”

John Phillips, owner of Darby Dan Farm, served as TAA president in 2018 and 2020. Phillips will remain on the TAA's board and executive committee for 2021 as immediate past president.

“In order for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to protect our sport by protecting our equine athletes, it takes a tremendous amount of time and dedication by staff and a board of directors,” Phillips said. “With these individuals' strong commitment to aftercare, I look forward to working alongside them to advance the TAA's efforts of providing a safe landing for our Thoroughbreds out of racing.”

Bell and Phillips are joined on the executive committee by TAA Vice President Jeff Bloom, managing director of Bloom Racing Stable; TAA Treasurer Jen Shah, director of tax services at Dean Dorton; and TAA Secretary Walter Robertson, attorney at Stites & Harbison.

The TAA rotates its board of directors and its executive officers.

The board members beginning service in 2021 are: Madeline Auerbach, a founding board member of the TAA, founder of the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), and a Thoroughbred owner and breeder; and Tom Cannell, board member of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and a Thoroughbred owner.

They join current TAA board members: Boyd Browning, Brian Graves, Chip McGaughey, Craig Bandoroff, David O'Farrell, Donna Brothers, Dora Delgado, James Gagliano, Jeffrey Bloom, Jen Shah, John Keitt, John Phillips, Josh Rubinstein, Martin Panza, Nicole Walker, Richard Schosberg, Simon Bray, Susie Hart, Tom Ventura, Walt Robertson, and Yvonne Schwabe.

To read the biographies of the TAA's board of directors, visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.

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Normandy Invasion To Be Retrained For His Next Career As A Sport Horse

The National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization (NTWO) announced this week that former Spendthrift stallion Normandy Invasion has been gelded and will be retrained and rehomed by the organization.

NTWO farm manager and trainer Tayja Smith said that the multiple graded stakes placed earner of $551,900 is doing better than she had expected with the adjustment after she was warned he could have some aggressive tendencies.

“We pulled him off, and he was dead quiet,” Smith said. “He had his head right where it needed to be, walked super respectful in, settled right into his stall, and rolled and relaxed.”

Smith said that she is planning on trying group turn out soon after giving him some more time to get adjusted.

The 10-year-old son of Tapit has not begun any training yet. Smith said that she wants to allow him to pick up some herd dynamics as well as pass a veterinary check before she begins training with him. She plans to start his training on the ground and go from there.

“They kind of tell you what to do, I think,” Smith said. “I do everything by feel.”

Smith said it usually takes a week or two to get a horse where she wants on the ground, and then she starts the under-saddle training. When asked about what she might look for in a potential adopter for Normandy Invasion, Smith said that most importantly it should be someone who has experience with a stallion and someone who really bonds with him as a horse instead of just wanting him because he is well known.

“While he's very, very well mannered,” Smith said. “If he ever does decide to show stallion tendencies, I would rather it be somebody who is going to be confident with those tendencies.”

“I kind of want him to choose.”

Normandy Invasion was runner-up in the 2012 Grade 2 Remsen Stakes and the 2013 G1 Wood Memorial Stakes. He was bred in Kentucky by Betz/Kidder/Gainesway/Graves/D.J. Stable/Cole and is out of the Boston Harbor mare Boston Lady. Normandy Invasion was a $230,000 purchase as a 2-year-old by Fox Hill Farms, which campaigned him throughout his racing career with trainer Larry Jones. Fox Hill's Rick Porter is the founder of NTWO. Normandy Invasion is the sire of 13 winners from 43 starters, and his first foals are 3-year-olds of 2020.

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