New Vocations Pledge

New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford will never forget the excitement she felt watching the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic as 16-1 shot Mushka (Empire Maker) kept passing one horse afer another in the stretch to close for second. As a horse taking part in the first ever New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge program, Mushka's performance meant a $36,000 donation from owner Betty Moran. It was a lifeline for a growing charity dedicated to finding second homes for the sport's retirees. "I'll never forget how excited we were,"...

The early estimate of funds raised during the Breeders' Cup Pledge for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program is over $140,000. A total of 50 Breeders' Cup contenders pledged a percentage of their World Championships earnings, led by Authentic (Into Mischief)'s win in the GI Longines Classic with the whole partnership group participating, including Spendthrift Farm, Starlight Racing, Madaket, and MyRacehorse, as well as trainer Bob Baffert. Authentic's Classic-winning pledge was one of seven winning pledges during the Breeders' Cup with additional pledges and final donations still being received. The Breeders'...

The bar is set high for the 11th annual New Vocations Breeders' Cup pledge drive. Last year's fundraiser for the nation's largest retired racehorse rehabilitation and placement program netted $130,000 from owners and trainers of Breeders' Cup entrants. The exclamation point on that record amount was provided by Vino Rosso (Curlin) winning the GI Classic, because the colt's two ownership partners--St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable--plus trainer Todd Pletcher, all pledged their support. Over the last decade New Vocations has raised $650,000 with its annual Breeders' Cup funding drive, which...

New Vocations, the largest racehorse adoption charity in the country, has kicked off its 11th annual Breeders' Cup Pledge in support of Thoroughbred aftercare. The program, which has raised over $650,000 for aftercare, is seeking owners and trainers of Breeders' Cup contenders to pledge a percentage of their Breeders' Cup earnings to New Vocations for the rehabilitating, retraining, and rehoming of retired racehorses. "The need for our services continues to grow each year," said Anna Ford, New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director. "This year, in particular, has been very challenging due...