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A Quick Study on Track, Celestial City Now Teaches at Lowell

By Francis LaBelle, courtesy Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

Celestial City learned how to be a racehorse by continually proving himself against top competition. Each time he raced, he showed that the lessons he was learning were taking hold. Celestial City became a graded stakes winner, but just when his promising career was finally taking flight, he sustained an injury that ended his days as a racehorse. Now, he has a new home and a new purpose.

On February 12, Celestial City joined the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's (TRF) herd at the Lowell Correctional Institution for Women in Ocala, FL. He will provide vocational training in equine care and stable management as part of the TRF's Second Chances Program. The TRF is the nation's oldest and largest Thoroughbred rescue organization.

Forty years ago, the TRF started Second Chances at the Wallkill Correctional Facility in New York. The idea was that inmates would learn how to take care of horses and maintain the stable and grounds, while the horses got daily, supervised care. Many Second Chances graduates have gone on to find careers as farriers, veterinary technicians, and even farm managers. Since its start in 1984, Second Chances has expanded to several states. TRF expanded to Lowell in 2002 and has since added a Second Chances Youth Program located near the women's prison. Both the women's and youth programs have achieved deserving praise for helping horses and people find better lives.

At five years old, Celestial City is the youngest member of the TRF's national herd, half of which are 20 years or older, and average a stay of 15 years. Unlike the majority of other horses, Celestial City had a standout pedigree, terrific connections, and every reason to succeed.

A son of Uncle Mo, Celestial City's racing education was the responsibility of Hall of Fame trainer Claude “Shug” McGaughey. Under McGaughey's management, Celestial City had a record of 3-2-2 from 10 starts and earnings of just under $350,000. Two years ago, Celestial City came up short in a pair of stakes races at Saratoga Race Course. Both times, Celestial City's efforts were encouraging. He was figuring out racing while McGaughey was figuring him out.

Then in late October of 2022, Celestial City overcame a stumble at the start and posted a 2 1/4-length victory in the GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct. There was plenty of reason to be optimistic about Celestial City's 2023 racing season.

“He was doing well, and we gave him a blowout,” McGaughey said. “He was on the training track at Belmont and he fractured his right-hind ankle. He had surgery, and he would look like he was doing good, but then he would have a setback. We finally decided to pull the plug and not race him anymore.”

Celestial City's ankle was operated on by Dr. Patty Hogan, a noted veterinary surgeon who works with Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. She is also a staunch advocate of aftercare for racehorses and encourages owners to include an aftercare plan for each horse they race. McGaughey had such a plan already in place.

Since Celestial City had his early racing education at Niall Brennan Stable in Ocala, he was assured a safe landing after he could no longer race. Niall Brennan and his wife, Stephanie, have developed racehorses since they went into business 33 years ago. In 2009, they started their own non-profit Thoroughbred aftercare program, Final Furlong Horse Retirement, to make sure that any horse that had been in their care for any length of time would find a decent home and, perhaps, a new career.
While most of McGaughey's retirees join Final Furlong, Stephanie had her own plan for Celestial City. As a TRF board member since 2022, she felt that Celestial City would be a perfect fit at TRF's Second Chances at Lowell.

“The inmates would learn how to 'let down' a racehorse and down the line, he will be a great horse for their riding program,” Stephanie said.

While TRF and Final Furlong are independent of one another, the chance to work together for the good of a horse will always be accepted.

“Later on, if Celestial City gets adopted, his connections will know that he is guaranteed a lifetime placement with TRF,” she added. “So, if circumstances should change, he can always come home to TRF. That is a huge selling point. Very few aftercare programs offer that safety net.”

Celestial City wasted no time in winning over everyone over at Lowell.

“The women are used to working with much older horses,” Stephanie said. “Along comes Celestial City and he is young, slick and fit. They were excited to meet him and they have taken good care of him. Now, they are helping him get used to being around other horses.”

“That shouldn't be a problem. He has always been such a cool horse.”

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Former Jockey Purdom Finds His Calling at TRF Farm

Dean Purdom never lost confidence in his riding ability. He knew he had the skills. What he didn't have were the results. Purdom bounced all over the country, going from track to track until he wore out his welcome and headed to his next stop. The problem? He was trying to do the impossible, find success on the racetrack despite having an addiction to alcohol and cocaine.

“I started back in the eighties,” Purdom said. “I had a really promising career. I was the leading apprentice one meet at Pimlico. That's where I got introduced to cocaine. It gradually just took over my life and, therefore, my career. I wasn't available mentally or physically, which you have to be to be able to do the job.”

In 1992, he made the decision that would change his life for the better. He entered a treatment program and has now been sober for more than 31 years.

Purdom, 65, went back to riding but never could jump start his career. He retired in 1997 with 371 career victories and moved to Ocala where he worked horses at the sales. But what he really wanted to do was to help people. He saw that as a requirement, exactly what he needed to stay on the right path.

“For me, helping people is a necessity,” Purdom said. “I have been in recovery a long time and a huge part of that is once you get your act together, to be able to keep it together you need to help others. In recovery, life can get pretty good. And when that happens it's easy to forget how bad things were. So helping new people is important. I've been able to help a lot of people along the way. But they were helping me, too.”

He has devoted his life to making a difference. The first stop was a job at Mending Fences, a mental health treatment center in Delray, Florida where equine therapy was part of the program. He might still be there if it weren't for a chance encounter with John Evans, who was running the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's program at a women's prison, the Lowell Correctional Institution. Purdom had met his future wife Niki after she left the Lowell program and when the two were married, Evans walked Niki down the aisle.

Evans was looking to retire and saw in Purdom the perfect replacement. Last May he took over from Evans, who had been at Lowell for 17 years. It's been an eye-opening experience.

“I had been driving by this prison for years,” Purdom said. “One day I was driving by with Niki. I had seen all these horses out in the field. I told her that the whole thing didn't make any sense to me. Why were they keeping all these old, broken-down pasture ornaments? I didn't understand the economics of that. Most horse people would have had that same attitude. She explained to me their true value and what these horses do for the inmates. These inmates, their self esteem is pretty much in the tank when they get here. They haven't had anything go right for a long time. When they walk into the stall, especially the first time, these horses will greet them. They haven't had something like that in a long time. They end up getting really personal with them. They start gaining some self esteem. They start to get their self respect back as well as confidence. It's all because of the horses.”

Having struggled with many of the same problems that led many of the inmates to prison, Purdom was happy to share his story with the women of Lowell.

Female inmantes in the TRF program near Ocala | Stephanie Brennan photo

“Probably 80, maybe 90 percent of the women who come here have addiction issues,” Purdom said. “They don't have meetings here for them. So I openly talk about my own struggles.”
Once he settled in at Lowell, Purdom's goal became teaching the inmates skills they could use to get jobs at the many farms in Ocala. Lowell is the only TRF program where the inmates are allowed to ride the horses. That's how Niki Purdom got started as an exercise rider.

With there being a shortage of help in Ocala, Purdom knew that the graduates of his program could easily find job at local farms if taught the right skills. The easiest way to find a job would be for them to learn how to prep weanlings and yearlings for the sales.

“The TRF allowed me to bring some yearlings here that were prepping for the sales, so the women got experience handling them,” he said. “That gives them a way to get into the farms. They can get hired and it's something they can do right away because they've been taught and have experience. This is something that can be a huge springboard. I know most of the owners and trainers in this area. I rode for them for 20 years. I can be a liaison so these women have an opportunity the day they get out and there's a job waiting for them. I want the local horsemen to call me and ask if there's anybody getting out.”

It's also a way to see to it that the women don't pick right up where they left off before coming to Lowell.

“If they go back to where they came from, the likelihood that they will stay out of jail is slim,” Purdom said. “What I want to do here is offer them an option.”

The relationship between the horses, the women, and Purdom, is mutually beneficial, and Purdom knows that he's getting as much out of this as anyone.

“At this stage of my life, having a purpose is pretty important,” Purdom said. “It's what gets me out of bed every day.”

To learn more about the TRF or to donate, visit www.trfinc.org

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Sweet Named COO of Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

Maggie Sweet has been named the new chief operating officer of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), the Saratoga-based operation announced Monday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maggie Sweet to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation as our new Chief Operating Officer,” said Patrick H. Mackay, Chairman of the Board of Directors at TRF. “Maggie's desire to support equine welfare, coupled with her extensive leadership experience, will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success and growth of our organization. Her skills and enthusiasm align seamlessly with our commitment to providing a dignified retirement for these magnificent animals.”

Sweet served the Todd Pletcher Racing Stables in a variety of roles for over a quarter-century, most recently as its COO, a position from which she stepped down in September 2023.

As COO, Sweet will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization, implementing strategic initiatives, and fostering collaborative relationships with stakeholders and donors.

“I am honored to join the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and be part of an organization that is making a significant impact in the lives of retired racehorses,” said Sweet. “I look forward to working with the talented team at the TRF and contributing to the ongoing success of their vital mission.”

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TRF Presents Online Art Auction to Support Second Chances Program

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, with the support of Saratoga Arts, has launched an online art exhibit and auction to support the TRF Second Chances Program and Second Chances Prison ART, both at Pleasant Valley State Prison. The exhibit, which features artwork created by incarcerated individuals in the Second Chance Prison ART Program, opened Jan. 1 and auction bidding will begin Feb. 1 and continue through Feb. 29.

Proceeds from the auction will directly benefit the TRF Second Chances Program, supporting its mission to provide retired Thoroughbred racehorses with sanctuary and offering incarcerated individuals in the Second Chances Program the opportunity to learn valuable skills through vocational training.

Proceeds will also benefit the Second Chance Prison ART Program and allow for new works to be created with the goal of raising more funds.

Saratoga Arts has provided the TRF with the online auction platform. View the online art exhibit and auction here.

The post TRF Presents Online Art Auction to Support Second Chances Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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