Saratoga Joins Aftercare Movement

Joanne Yepsen | Mike Kane

By

Saratoga Springs has joined the racehorse aftercare movement.

With a boost from Mayor Joanne Yepsen, six organizations announced Thursday the formation of the Racehorse Aftercare Charities of Saratoga during a press conference at the National Museum of Racing. The group's members are ACTT Naturally, Heading for Home, ReRun at North Country Horses, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Saratoga War Horse and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), the 31-year-old national organization based in Saratoga Springs.

“Our plan is to work together throughout the year to put on events, to raise awareness around the community, to talk with local groups and organizations, work in schools and raise funds wherever we can so we can grow this awareness campaign,” said Diana Pikulski of TRF.

The first event that will benefit the group is the Run for Horses Sept. 5, a 5K run originally organized by the TRF.

The New York State Gaming Commission will host the day-long Retired Racehorse Summit Sept. 1 at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion.

The roots of the formation of the coalition were set when Yepsen, Pikulski and breeder Suzie O'Cain met for breakfast last winter.

“We went to her to talk about having a city-wide awareness project for the month of August,” Pikulski said. “She said to us, 'why would you just limit it to the month of August? This is Saratoga Springs. These horses, the Thoroughbreds and the Standardbreds, are so important to this city and so much about this city. I want to do more than that.'”

The coalition took shape, Yepsen proclaimed August as Racehorse Retirement Month, pledged the support of the city and urged other municipalities to follow Saratoga's lead.

“I am challenging every mayor around the country to do the same things,” she said. “There are other mayors in the country who also are mayors of horse racing cities and they should be adopting this pledge as well. I hope other mayors are listening and will respond accordingly.”

O'Cain, a board member of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Inc., said the union of the aftercare organizations is right approach.

“This has always been the problem; we've kind of been independently doing the best we know how,” she said. “Then the coalition idea approached the table and everybody went 'Yeah, that's what we need to do.' Most of the charities have a different purpose for the retired horses. By forming this coalition we're engaging all those different purposes. Nothing is changing. We're just empowering everybody and getting the word out.

“It's so fitting that Saratoga would be the city to start this. I think this is the beginning of a very effective, special way of treating aftercare. In Saratoga, the horses are what it's all about. You drive into the town (and see the signs) Horses, History and Health. Really, it should be just be Horses.”

O'Cain noted that there are horse statues in the city and said the monuments have to be a surprise for first-time visitors.

“This is so perfect,” she said, “and the beginning of such a beautiful project.”

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