Real Winners at BC
Nov 16, 2013 0:37:16 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Nov 16, 2013 0:37:16 GMT -5
Nice. O'Neill not a favorite of mine but kudos to him for leading the pledges. Other "names" include Pletcher, Baffert and Zayat
The Real Winners at Breeders’ Cup
by Natalie Voss
Paulick Report
When Goldencents crossed the wire a winner in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, those who were in the Santa Anita winner’s circle and cashing tickets weren’t the only people cheering.
For Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford and others associated with New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, the most important part about the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t necessarily which contender edged which for a victory. The organization once again held its Breeders’ Cup pledge program, in which owners and trainers pledged a certain percentage of their horse’s earnings to the charity. In its fifth consecutive year the project pulled in approximately $25,000 for the rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of off-track racehorses.
“I think that people who have a horse going to the Breeders’ Cup are just so excited to have a horse of that caliber going, so most people we approach are really happy to participate,” said Ford.
More money may be coming in according to Ford, who said that connections of horses who finish well out of the purse money will often donate anyway.
Some 30 runners had connections who made pledges. Since purses pay through fifth place, Ford and the horses in her care were delighted even with the runners who didn’t get their pictures taken at the race’s end.
Besides Goldencents, some of the best finishers in the pledge project were Testa Rossi, who finished second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (pledge by co-owner James Covello), Havana, who finished second in the Juvenile (pledge by trainer Todd Pletcher), and Laugh Track, who finished second in the Sprint (pledge by co-owner WinStar Farm)
Donations from the project will go toward the organization’s general expenses.
New Vocations has been in operation since 1992 and has rehomed about 5,000 retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses from its bases in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Perhaps the most notable thing about the organization is its loyal social media audience, which shares photos and posts about newly-available horses and enables it to find homes for horses relatively quickly after they become available.
It’s the time before that which costs the most, Ford said.
She estimates that at least half of the horses donated to the program require an average of six months or more in lay-up to recover from injuries sustained on the track. Horses suitable for any discipline in terms of physical and mental soundness usually find a home within a month of becoming available.
“We don’t have any problem finding homes for them. We could find placements for them all day, every day,” she said.
For those with limitations, the search can take much longer–anywhere from six to eight months on top of the time and costs to rehabilitate the injury.
Ford realizes she’s not the first to point it out, but her biggest message for the industry is a plea to retire horses before they incur an injury that will limit or remove their usefulness upon retirement. Many owners operating at the claiming level may be inclined to keep dropping their horse in class to keep them competitive or to move them out of the barn. For runners already participating at the bottom of the claiming ranks, it’s unlikely they will be picked up by someone has retirement in mind for them.
From the owner’s perspective, it might be a sounder decision financially to retire a horse rather than continue to race at a low level.
“Cut your losses early,” she advises. “Some people are getting that. Some people aren’t.”
She remains encouraged however, at the response of owners and trainers to her message, and the depth of industry support for New Vocations.
“Industry support every year seems to increase and I think most of that is due to an increase in awareness,” she said. “I think it’s a testament to the fact that a lot of the aftercare issue is an education issue. Most owners and trainers, once you educate them and talk to them about the options are for retired horses, most of them are more than happy to support aftercare efforts.
“I know sometimes the industry gets a really bad rep for not doing enough, and a lot of times I think it’s because people are still not educated on aftercare issues.”
See a complete list of pledges
www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/thirty-breeders-cup-entries-will-run-to-support-ottbs/
R Street Cat was donated to the program and was conditioned by Todd Pletcher, who pledged part of his runner' earnings. R Strret Cat is now a successful hunter/jumper.
The Real Winners at Breeders’ Cup
by Natalie Voss
Paulick Report
When Goldencents crossed the wire a winner in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, those who were in the Santa Anita winner’s circle and cashing tickets weren’t the only people cheering.
For Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford and others associated with New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, the most important part about the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t necessarily which contender edged which for a victory. The organization once again held its Breeders’ Cup pledge program, in which owners and trainers pledged a certain percentage of their horse’s earnings to the charity. In its fifth consecutive year the project pulled in approximately $25,000 for the rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of off-track racehorses.
“I think that people who have a horse going to the Breeders’ Cup are just so excited to have a horse of that caliber going, so most people we approach are really happy to participate,” said Ford.
More money may be coming in according to Ford, who said that connections of horses who finish well out of the purse money will often donate anyway.
Some 30 runners had connections who made pledges. Since purses pay through fifth place, Ford and the horses in her care were delighted even with the runners who didn’t get their pictures taken at the race’s end.
Besides Goldencents, some of the best finishers in the pledge project were Testa Rossi, who finished second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (pledge by co-owner James Covello), Havana, who finished second in the Juvenile (pledge by trainer Todd Pletcher), and Laugh Track, who finished second in the Sprint (pledge by co-owner WinStar Farm)
Donations from the project will go toward the organization’s general expenses.
New Vocations has been in operation since 1992 and has rehomed about 5,000 retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses from its bases in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Perhaps the most notable thing about the organization is its loyal social media audience, which shares photos and posts about newly-available horses and enables it to find homes for horses relatively quickly after they become available.
It’s the time before that which costs the most, Ford said.
She estimates that at least half of the horses donated to the program require an average of six months or more in lay-up to recover from injuries sustained on the track. Horses suitable for any discipline in terms of physical and mental soundness usually find a home within a month of becoming available.
“We don’t have any problem finding homes for them. We could find placements for them all day, every day,” she said.
For those with limitations, the search can take much longer–anywhere from six to eight months on top of the time and costs to rehabilitate the injury.
Ford realizes she’s not the first to point it out, but her biggest message for the industry is a plea to retire horses before they incur an injury that will limit or remove their usefulness upon retirement. Many owners operating at the claiming level may be inclined to keep dropping their horse in class to keep them competitive or to move them out of the barn. For runners already participating at the bottom of the claiming ranks, it’s unlikely they will be picked up by someone has retirement in mind for them.
From the owner’s perspective, it might be a sounder decision financially to retire a horse rather than continue to race at a low level.
“Cut your losses early,” she advises. “Some people are getting that. Some people aren’t.”
She remains encouraged however, at the response of owners and trainers to her message, and the depth of industry support for New Vocations.
“Industry support every year seems to increase and I think most of that is due to an increase in awareness,” she said. “I think it’s a testament to the fact that a lot of the aftercare issue is an education issue. Most owners and trainers, once you educate them and talk to them about the options are for retired horses, most of them are more than happy to support aftercare efforts.
“I know sometimes the industry gets a really bad rep for not doing enough, and a lot of times I think it’s because people are still not educated on aftercare issues.”
See a complete list of pledges
www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/thirty-breeders-cup-entries-will-run-to-support-ottbs/
R Street Cat was donated to the program and was conditioned by Todd Pletcher, who pledged part of his runner' earnings. R Strret Cat is now a successful hunter/jumper.