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The Churchill Downs Foundation has partnered with 20 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve by pledging a $150,000 donation to support the organizations.

On Monday, Apr. 29, an aftercare post position draw will be held on the Churchill Downs backstretch where each horse in the Kentucky Derby field will be paired with an aftercare organization. Each organization is guaranteed at least a $5,000 donation from the Churchill Downs Foundation with the organization paired with the winner of the Kentucky Derby receiving a $25,000 donation. The runner-up will be awarded $20,000, the third-place finisher will receive $15,000 and fourth place will garner $10,000.

“We're thrilled to embark on this meaningful partnership with 20 of the best aftercare organizations in North America,” said Cathy Shircliff, Director of Equine Industry Relations for Churchill Downs Incorporated. “The Kentucky Derby is the pinnacle of Thoroughbred racing and it is all of our responsibilities to ensure every horse receives the care and support they deserve after their career on the racetrack.”

The organizations chosen this year are: After the Races, Friends of Ferdinand, Galloping Out, Horse and Hound Rescue, James River Horse Foundation, Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, New Vocations, Old Friends, Racing For Home, Remember Me Rescue, ReRun, Inc., Second Stride, Secretariat Center, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Thoroughbred Retirement Network of Louisiana, TRRAC, United Pegasus Foundation, Virginia Thoroughbred Project and Win Place Home.

To make a donation for each of the Kentucky Derby contenders, visit www.kentuckyderby.com/derbygives.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at Gulfstream Park for Florida Derby Day on Saturday, Mar. 30. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has partnered with 1/ST RACING to have a variety of on-site activations during the day.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be honored with a named race on the Florida Derby Day undercard. Following the running of the race, a presentation will be made to the winning connections, including a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance branded blanket and gift bag branded merchandise. 1/ST RACING will promote accredited aftercare throughout the day.

A representative from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site to host the winners of the “Off to the Races” VIP Experience online benefit auction. 1/ST RACING has donated the Florida Derby Day VIP Experience where the winners will enjoy premium dining, access to the paddock, and more.

Additionally, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is also the co-beneficiary for the Florida Derby Charity Golf Tournament alongside the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. The charity golf tournament, hosted by 1/ST RACING, will be held on Monday, Mar. 25, at the Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club.

“1/ST RACING and Gulfstream Park are thrilled to have Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance return for Florida Derby Day,” said Steve Screnci, President of Racing and Business Development, 1/ST RACING. “We take great pride in supporting accredited aftercare and aim to further raise awareness and aid in the care of retired Thoroughbred racehorses.”

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is honored to count supporters like 1/ST RACING and Gulfstream among our allies in advancing our mission,” said Emily Dresen, Director of Funding & Events at Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We eagerly anticipate a day filled with exciting races and the opportunity to enlighten racing fans about the importance of accredited aftercare.”

Aftercare. It's a hot button topic that is continuously discussed among those within and outside of the Thoroughbred industry. And though the racing community has made leaps and bounds in its efforts to ensure a safe landing for retiring racehorses, there is always room for growth, improved planning and increased funding.

One charitable organization is forging a new path in this aspect of the industry, as The Horse Fund establishes a unique precedent for Thoroughbred ownership groups by taking the 'after' out of aftercare and instead, standing in as the gatekeeper.

The aftercare partner of the ownership group Wasabi Ventures Stables, The Horse Fund tracks all current and former Wasabi horses, from both their racing and breeding programs, and assists in their retirement. Though the organization officially received 501(c)(3) status in July of 2021, the work began long before that, spearheaded by Michele Kuegler.

“Initially my role was Director of Community. We have a lot of club members so I would do things to keep them involved. And then I realized as we began to buy horses, there's an aftercare piece to this. So, I became Director of Community and Aftercare,” said Kuegler, whose husband TK founded Wasabi in 2017.

Built on the concept of low-risk opportunity with an emphasis on sharing the excitement of involvement in the sport and the Wasabi community, Wasabi Ventures Stables members only pay a one-time fee when buying a percentage of a stake in a racehorse in the program. When the time comes that a racehorse is retired, sold or claimed away, the invested partners will receive profits if the horse produced a positive return. Otherwise, they never receive a bill and will never have to pay any additional funds.

So that's where Kuegler started. She began with giving Wasabi members the option to donate $5 to an aftercare fund if their horse left the racing program with a positive return. That money would then be pooled together and donated to an aftercare program in the state where that Wasabi horse had raced.

But it was how the membership responded after Wasabi lost Shamrock Kid (Dublin) in a tragic training accident in March of 2021 that Kuegler realized just how supportive the Wasabi community was of aftercare.

“He had been a pretty successful horse for us and it was actually a club member who said, 'I'm leaving $50.' It was just this continual following of that, other club members thinking 'I'll do that.' We raised so much money that we were able to fund the rehab of a [retiring] horse [at an aftercare facility],” said Kuegler. “I had this snowball of an idea, after Shamrock Kid, thinking 'Okay, this group believes in aftercare. How can I do more with this?'”

Mob Mentality | courtesy of The Horse Fund

After becoming a corporation in the state of Florida, The Horse Fund officially received 501(c)(3) status and Kuegler gave up her outside work as a consultant to serve as the executive director of the organization on a full-time basis. Since then, she has been single-handedly keeping track of every horse that has made its way through Wasabi's program and when it's time, assisting in their retirement from the track.

Though the numbers continue to grow, as Wasabi has transitioned from primarily a claiming operation to growing their own breeding program, Kuegler is a big proponent of taking accountability for all of the horses currently in their care and those that were in the past.

“I feel like we're part of the ownership process and we're responsible for these horses. I've helped retire horses that we owned for a month, but we had hands on them and we continued to run them, so we own that and we owe it to those horses,” said Kuegler. “Our first foals were born in 2019, so I track every single foal, even the ones that we bred that we will never race. We're the reason these foals are here, the reason behind those claiming horses that we had for a month, and though we didn't retire them, we still need to keep an eye on them.”

Utilizing her virtual stable on Equibase, Kuegler keeps track of every Wasabi-connected horse online and organizes the ever-changing data on an in-depth spreadsheet. It's a simple task when it comes to the horses retiring directly from Wasabi, but for those that are claimed away and racing elsewhere, tracing their whereabouts can be difficult.

But tracing each horse is only step one, as Kuegler must also assess how the horse is faring on the track based on recent results and decide when may be the right time to step in and contact connections.

“I have to be cautious of how I do it because I don't want to insult anyone, but if I see that a horse isn't active, I give them two months. It's common to give your horse a month or two off, to let them take a break, but if it's been two months and I notice they're in lower-level claimers, I'll reach out to let them know we're here to help if they're thinking about retirement,” said Kuegler. “I get everything from no answer to, 'we're not ready but when we are, we'll come back to you,' or I've had people that say, 'great, let's talk about this.' We'll usually offer to buy them, if that's part of the process, or just help them find placement. We've done a little bit of everything.

“I try to hopefully be a step ahead of the trainer or owner when they're ready to retire because we don't have a physical facility. If they say I'm ready to retire them, I need to have a safety net already in place.”

Since the early days of Wasabi, Kuegler has invested her time in getting to know various aftercare groups across the country through her blog series, 'The Aftercare Ally,' which she created to highlight their efforts and share on Wasabi's website and social media platforms. And this is the network that Kuegler now works with when retiring a horse.

The Horse Fund provides funding to privately purchase the horse from its racing connections, if it's a case where the horse has been claimed away, and also sends donations to the aftercare facility that takes them in.

“The thing that I'm really transparent about [with the aftercare facility] is that I don't know the health status of the horse and honestly, I'm not going to do a pre-purchase exam, because it doesn't matter. Whether the horse is lame or not lame, they need to retire. In the end, it's probably not going to change the price that I offer because I just want the horse to retire,” said Kuegler. “It's through these connections that I've made in the last five years or so that usually I can get a stall, and of course we make a donation to them or they might have a set amount that they need. It's nice to be part of a community working together.”

Morrigan | Courtesy of The Horse Fund

As The Horse Fund has amped up its work to retire Wasabi-connected horses, Kuegler has also amplified her fundraising efforts, beginning with a switch from requesting a $5 donation when a horse leaves a positive return to instead, giving people the option of contributing $5 when they're purchasing a share in a Wasabi horse. The donation rate has remained a steady 99 percent.

But just as the cost of everything else has risen, so has the price for a horse coming straight off the track.

“Last year, it was probably about $3000 to retire a horse, between buying them and making a donation. Now it's easily $4000, and I know that's even low,” explained Kuegler. “That's another goal, for our funding to be enough that rather than waiting for a trainer being ready to sell, I could afford to claim a 4-5k claimer, knowing that on top of that there are still costs. At this point, if I claim a horse for $4000 and I need to ship it and make a donation, we're looking at twice that. And if I do that, I can only buy one horse instead of two. But that would be another goal, to create some fundraising to that point.”

Since its founding, The Horse Fund has assisted in the retirement of 27 Wasabi Ventures Stables horses, nine of which were private purchases. In 2023, they raised over $38,000 for aftercare through the support of donations made from club member horse purchases, monthly donors and their annual fundraiser, 12 Days of Giving, during the month of December.

For Kuegler, the story of retiring Exxtop (Exaggerator) stands out as a particular highlight.

On July 30, 2021, trainer Jesse Cruz claimed the then 3-year-old gelding for $7,500 on behalf of Wasabi Ventures Stables. He raced two times for his new connections before being claimed away that September.

Despite the brief time he spent as a member of Wasabi's stable, Kuegler kept a close eye on Exxtop and in the fall of 2022, she reached out to his owner/trainer Marcus George Thompson to let him know that when the time came for the gelding to retire, The Horse Fund would take care of it.

After consistently finishing fifth and sixth in lower-level claiming races on the New York circuit, Exxtop finished last in a $5,000 claimer on Sept. 5, 2023 at Finger Lakes. His 45th career start would be his last.

“I reached out and the trainer said, 'I have him entered in one more race,' and then the day of, he messaged me and said, 'I'm scratching him.' What's even more amazing is that he still keeps in contact, always asking how he is doing and telling me, 'When you know where his home is, please let me know,” said Kuegler. “Some people on the outside might think this trainer didn't care because he continued to run him but out of all nine horses that I've privately purchased, he's the connection who has written to me the most. He even said, 'If he's going to be a jumper or something locally, I'll bring my kids to watch him.' It was a very positive experience.”

The Horse Fund purchased Exxtop privately in mid-September and sent him to Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program at the Purple Haze Center in Farmington, NY. This month, he was adopted and has since started his next chapter in a new home.

“It takes a lot of time to keep track of this many horses, to keep information on each and every horse and stay in touch. There are horses that seem to disappear, so I spend time researching online and reaching out to contacts,” said Kuegler. “My calendar is now filled with alerts for races to watch. I've always tracked them in my stable on Equibase, so I know when they work and when they race, but a while ago I decided we should be watching the race because a fourth by six lengths might be wonderful or fourth by six lengths might be a sign that something is wrong.

“And then it's money…can you get people to support it? I'm just so grateful to have a club that supports this.”

Kuegler also keeps track of Wasabi retirees, doing her best to stay in touch with their new owners and receiving updates on their progress in their new careers.

“I think right now I have about 40 different people who have Wasabi retirees – whether they're directly from us or horses that were claimed away from us – who once or twice a year give me updates on their horses,” she said. “I wanted to keep track of their 'gotcha days' and there was no hesitation, every single owner knew what that day was.”

Wasabi Ventures Stables currently has 1,400 members involved in all aspects of the game, from breeding to racing, and as they've learned more about the importance of aftercare, some have even gone on to adopt Wasabi retirees.

For Kuegler, who wasn't introduced to racing until she met her husband, it's been quite the learning curve as she's transitioned from her initial roles with Wasabi Ventures Stables to founding and running The Horse Fund.

Seville Sangria | Lauren Floyd Photo

“I didn't ever think I'd be doing this full-time and if you'd asked me 20 years ago, 'do you think you're going to be running a non-profit that retires Thoroughbreds?' I would have said no. But now, I tell people that it's the best job I've ever had,” she said. “There are days that it's frustrating and there are days that are sad, but then I get a horse retired or I get an update and it's a feel-good moment, always.”

Looking ahead, Kuegler hopes that she and her husband will be able to purchase a farm, which would primarily serve as the home of the Wasabi Ventures Stables breeding operation and layups, but could also be a facility for Wasabi retirees to reside until moving on to an aftercare program.

“The big leap I have to make when I retire horses is securing where they will go, and if we had a place of our own, that would be great,” said Kuegler.

In the meantime, she'll continue her work behind-the-scenes, watching over the horses that have made their way through Wasabi's barns and stepping in when she's needed. Kuegler only hopes that the process of tracing horses becomes easier and that through her work, she educates more people on the procedure and its importance.

“I know The Jockey Club has started tracking them [as retirees], but I wish we made it easier for owners and trainers with more answers out there. There should be easier ways to report it and you should not feel ashamed about it,” she said.

“Maybe I'm naïve, but I think it really is about the animal and not just the wins and the glory. For all that they do for us, when they run and train, the least we can do is give them a good happily ever after.”

To learn more about The Horse Fund, go to thehorsefund.org.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has been named the official aftercare partner of this weekend's Pegasus World Cup races at Gulfstream Park.

The TAA will have a race named on both the Friday and Saturday programs. On Friday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 6: “Congratulations Fasig-Tipton TAA Auction Winners” alongside Fasig-Tipton, the winning bidder of last year's Off to the Races VIP Pegasus Package. Post time is set for 2:39 PM ET.

On Saturday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 10, the Grade II 'TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S.', which has a post time of 3:45 PM ET. Winners of both named races will receive a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance blanket and a gift bag with branded merchandise. In recognition of their enduring collaboration, 1/ST RACING will present Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with a generous check donation following the named race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Representatives from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Board of Directors and its accredited organizations will be present for the check presentation.

“We're thrilled to have Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance join us again at the Pegasus World Cup,” said Nicole Walker, Vice President of The Stronach Group. “Their amazing dedication to ensuring the well-being of these incredible animals on and off the racetrack deserves to be recognized, plus their wonderful presence adds to our celebration of racing excellence.”

The TAA will present 'best turned-out' awards, sponsored by Centennial Farm, for each of Saturday's 14 races. The winning groom and horse will be recognized by the track announcer and will be promoted across TAA's social media accounts. Award recipients will recent a TAA gift bag with branded merchandise.

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is extremely excited to be part of Pegasus World Cup for another year,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant at Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “It's a testament to our shared commitment to the care and support of these exceptional athletes. We're thrilled to continue our long-time partnership with Pegasus, uniting for the betterment of retired Thoroughbred racehorses in this prestigious racing event.”

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be in attendance as the official charity for the 53rd Eclipse Awards Jan. 25 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, the non-profit said in a Friday release.

“It's an honor to stand with NTRA and the whole racing community, celebrating the incredible talent and of the Thoroughbreds and the dedication of their connections,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight our commitment to our industry's horses on this prestigious platform.”

“We are thrilled to welcome back Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as our esteemed partner for this year's Eclipse Awards,” added NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney.

The NTRA also organized a 'Sip, Shop, and Support' event with three participating stores–Lilly Pulitzer, J. Mclaughlin and Oumere–who will donate a percentage of their proceeds to the TAA.

Additionally, TAA will hold a raffle featuring select items from these stores and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to their cause. Store hours are scheduled from Noon to 3 p.m. ET.

Registration for February's Aftercare Industry Month (AIM) virtual conference is open and all with a professional interest in Thoroughbred aftercare are invited to partake, announced officials at the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) via press release Friday.

Presented by the Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF), the teleconference will offer four webinars providing an interactive experience for participants to explore a variety of topics pertaining to non-profits and business entities. Options to register for the entire conference or individual sessions a la carte will be offered on the sign-up page. An all-access conference pass is $10 while individual passes will be $5 per session.

“We're grateful to TERF for supporting our vision of building on the original Aftercare Summit concept, allowing us to tackle topics in greater depth and deliver sessions in a way that increases accessibility for anyone wanting to participate,” said Kirsten Green, RRP executive director.

“The aftercare industry in North America has grown into a diverse community of entities that contribute to a Thoroughbred's transition in a variety of ways. The RRP is unique in that we interface with everyone within that community, and we're striving to foster collaboration and networking which will only increase the impact of the community as a whole.”

A full description of all seminars is available on the RRP website.

Thoroughbred aftercare organizations who are interested in applying for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) accreditation during the 2024-2025 term must submit the completed application by Apr. 1 at 6 p.m. ET., the non-profit said in a release Friday.

Those that were accredited in 2022 or any new organizations need to apply for accreditation this year. Others that were accredited in 2023 need not apply as their current status extends through 2024.

Accreditation is determined after a complete and thorough review of the organizations' operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Organizations that pass the initial application review will be subject to an onsite inspection of all facilities housing Thoroughbreds.

“Applying for accreditation is an incredible opportunity for organizations dedicated to the welfare of retired Thoroughbred racehorses,” said Janice Towles, Director of Accreditation and Grants at TAA.

Click here for more information on the process.

From Nov. 28 through Dec. 31, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance collected over $200,000 in donations from its 2023 Holiday Giving Campaign to raise funds to support thousands of Thoroughbreds at 86 TAA-accredited organizations, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday.

The Holiday Giving Campaign highlighted a different match sponsor each day, offering single-day sponsorships ranging from $500 to $10,000. 2023 Match Sponsors included: Mike Rogers, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Yvonne Schwabe, National HBPA, Denali Stud, Siena Farm, Donna Barton Brothers, Jack Damico, West Point Thoroughbreds, Rick Schosberg, Simon Bray, Dan & Denny Piazza and Matt & Amy Webber, Ramiro Restrepo, Dr. Bonnie Comerford, Dr. Dionne Benson, Game of Silks, Three Diamonds Farm, Kurtis Coady & Megan Devine, Donato Lanni, Chad Brown, Springhouse Farm, Bloom Racing Stable, StarLadies Racing, The Honorable Earle I. Mack, Jen Roytz & Dr. Stuart Brown, St. Elias Stables, David Anderson, Matthew DeSantis, and Bob & Jill Baffert.

“Your support during our campaign has been truly incredible,” said TAA's Emily Dresen. “Thank you for joining us in championing the well-being of off-the-track Thoroughbreds. Your generosity is making a huge difference in their lives, and we are immensely grateful for your kindness and dedication.”

The Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance voted at its Dec. 14 meeting to elect six new directors for 2024, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday afternoon.

Directors beginning service in 2024:

• Christina Blacker, Racing Host and Analyst at FanDuel
• Jay Privman, Former National Correspondent at Daily Racing Form
• Dean Roethemeier, Assistant Director of Sales Operations at Keeneland
• Barbara Vanlangendonck, Owner of Summerfield Sales

Directors returning for a second term in 2024:

• Walter Robertson, Attorney at Stites & Harbison
• Yvonne Schwabe, Owner of Persley Den Farms

Each Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance director may serve for up to five consecutive years. Upon completion, each is required to rotate off the board for at least one year before becoming eligible for renomination.

Having dedicated five years of their time, expertise and resources, Craig Bandoroff, Simon Bray, Donna Brothers, Boyd Browning, Chip McGaughey and Tom Ventura will conclude their service at the end of 2023.

For a third consecutive year, Jeffrey Bloom, Managing Partner of Bloom Racing Stable, will serve as TAA President.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced a new partnership with Lexington, Kentucky-based equine feed manufacturer Hallway Feeds, the organization said in a release Friday.

Family-owned and operated by the Hall Family since 1964, the company is prepared to make a major financial commitment to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare through this collaboration. Select Hallway Feeds bags will proudly feature the 'Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Proud Supporter' Seal. In addition, the partnership will include race presentations and event booths.

“Hallway Feeds is proud to support the efforts of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. As a company that supplies feeds to all facets of the Thoroughbred industry it is fitting that we take an active role in their aftercare,” said Lee Hall, Vice President, Hallway Feeds.

“Lee Hall has established Hallway Feeds as a prominent supplier of horse feeds, not only in Kentucky but also across the United States and globally,” said Craig Bandoroff, Owner of Denali Stud and TAA Vice President. “Recognizing the critical role of accredited aftercare, Lee has committed Hallway Feeds as a strategic partner to advance the cause, actively participating in spreading the important message and mission of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.”

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at Santa Anita Park this year for the 40th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, set for Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is one of the official charities, and the official aftercare partner of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will have a booth set up during both days of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, where patrons are encouraged to stop by to learn more about accredited aftercare.

Branded merchandise will be available in exchange for a donation. California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) will also be onsite and will have a retrained Thoroughbred at Santa Anita that fans can meet up close and in person.

In addition to Friday and Saturday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will also be onsite Thursday morning during the early morning workouts near the famous Clocker's Corner with branded merchandise and to answer questions about accredited aftercare.

As another way to show support, racing fans and handicappers can opt to donate to Thoroughbred
Aftercare Alliance throughout the week when cashing a winning ticket on an AmTote self-service betting terminal at Santa Anita Park. All donations are tax-deductible.

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is honored to be a part of the Breeders' Cup festivities, as this
collaboration exemplifies our shared passion during one of the most exciting weekends in horseracing,” said Jeffrey Bloom, president of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “This opportunity serves as a powerful international platform to advance the cause of accredited aftercare for Thoroughbreds, where we can all come together to support the cause and effort of ensuring the well-being and futures of our beloved equine athletes.”

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at this year's Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park on Saturday, Oct. 14, the equine advocate said in a release Thursday afternoon.

On a day designed to promote and celebrate Maryland breeding and racing, the TAA will be recognized, along with Maryland Jockey Club, with a named race. Following the running of the Maryland Jockey Club S., a presentation will be made to the winning connections including a branded Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance blanket and swag bag.

“The Maryland Jockey Club is honored to sponsor a race with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” said Mike Rogers, Acting President, Maryland Jockey Club. “We are dedicated to accredited aftercare, ensuring our horses find safe homes after their racing careers.”

The TAA will also be onsite as part of the VIP experience that was auctioned off earlier this year in the “Off to the Races” campaign and was donated by 1/ST Racing and The Hotel at Arundel Preserve.