New Vocations

New Vocations is currently auctioning off six all-inclusive box seats to this year's Kentucky Oaks and six all-inclusive box seats to the Kentucky Derby. The seats were donated by Churchill Downs, Inc. The box for both Oaks and Derby day is located in Section 324 and the Oaks seats have an estimated value of $4,188 and the Derby seats have an estimated value of $6,282. All reserved seating is all-inclusive (food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages) and access to offsite parking at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center is available, subject...

After watching the races just across the street from their home in Del Mar, Joe and Debby McCloskey decided to take the plunge into racehorse ownership with the purchase of a filly by Congrats at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. Now, nearly a decade later, Johannes (Nyquist)--the first foal out of that first filly--has become the couple's first stakes winner and the 3-year-old gave promise of more firsts to come in the near-future with an authoritative second stakes victory in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita last Sunday. Johannes began...

Fight On Lucy became the 1000th horse retired to the TAKE THE LEAD Thoroughbred Retirement Program when she boarded  van out of Belmont Park on New Year's Eve 2022. Bred by the Bongard Family's Bojan Farm, Fight On Lucy amassed earnings of $315,000 in a 39-start career over five seasons. She was trained by Pat Kelly, a founding member of TAKE THE LEAD and its sister program TAKE2. Cindy Norton, who served as Rojan Farm's manager for many years, said, "The owners were never going to run her in a...

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program raised over $72,000 for racehorse aftercare on 'Giving Tuesday'. Breeders' Cup winning owners of Wonder Wheel, DJ Stable, LLC, generously pledged to match the first $30,000 raised by New Vocations in honor of the organization's 30th anniversary. Courtesy of over 100 supporters in the equestrian and racing communities, funds were raised late into Nov. 29, and pushed over the goal thanks to a $10,000 donation made by Oak Grove Racing Gaming and Hotel, a Churchill Downs property. "We were blown away by the tremendous response...

D. J. Stable, LLC will match 'Giving Tuesday' donations to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program in celebration of the organization's 30th anniversary. D. J. Stable, whose Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 4, will match up to $30,000 in support of racehorse aftercare. Giving Tuesday takes place Nov. 29 this year. "We are so pleased to have the opportunity to partner with this wonderful organization," said D. J. Stable's general manager Jonathan Green. "Our horses have benefited from being placed in New Vocations' aftercare...

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program's early estimate of funds raised during its Breeders' Cup Pledge will be more than $140,000, it was announced Monday. This year's total was driven by a record nine horses with pledging connections--Wonder Wheel, Meditate (Ire), Forte, Victoria Road (Ire), Goodnight Olive, Caravel, Tuesday (Ire), Malathaat and Flightline--winning their races on Future Stars Friday and Championship Saturday. Additional pledges are still coming in and final donations are still being tallied. Now in its 13th year, the Pledge has raised more than $1 million, with 100% of...

On the racetrack, News Carver (Curlin) did not meet the lofty expectations set by his talented full-brother Vino Rosso, but the 3-year-old gelding has all the potential to one day become a star in a different arena. After News Carver finished a distant sixth in his debut in May this year and showed little interest in pursing a racing career, his owner and breeder John Gunther decided to send the homebred to New Vocations. News Carver, who bears the same lustrous chestnut coat and blazed face as his older brother,...

New Vocations has launched its 13th annual Breeders' Cup Pledge, in which connections of Breeders' Cup contenders pledge a percentage of their earnings to support the charity. To date, the pledge has raised over $950,000 to support New Vocations. "This year's Pledge is extra special as New Vocations is celebrating its 30-year anniversary and the Breeders' Cup is being hosted minutes away from our main facility in Lexington," said Anna Ford, New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director. "We are so thankful for the owners and trainers who have supported this important...

LEXINGTON, KY--With a rainy, cloudy afternoon turning into a perfect sunny and 72-degree evening, the racing industry was out in full force to support retired Thoroughbreds in the Real Rider Cup. Typically held in the fall at Fair Hill, it was the first time the event was being held in Lexington at New Vocations' Mereworth Farm and the rail was packed with familiar faces, such as Christian Black, Mike McMahon and Aidan and Leah O'Meara, to support this great cause initiated by Anita Motion. Thirty-one riders completed a 2'6" jumper...

The New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show, presented by Iris Smith Stables, LLC, has wrapped up its June 3-6 run by raising over $150,000. Held for the second year in Aiken, S.C., the show--which is in its 19th year--nearly doubled the number of horses competing with more than 165 Thoroughbreds from 15 states. All proceeds from the event, which includes classes in a variety of disciplines, go directly to New Vocations to support efforts to rehab, retrain, and rehome retiring racehorses. "This show is always a true testament to how...

After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program will host its fifth Annual Open Barn & BBQ Friday, Apr. 29 from 3-8:30 p.m. at the program's Lexington, KY facility. This year's event--held concurrently with the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, which will take place at the nearby Kentucky Horse Park--will be part of the nation's oldest and largest racehorse adoption charity's year-long 30th Anniversary celebration. "We can't wait to welcome guests back to New Vocations at Mereworth Farm," said Anna Ford, New Vocations' Thoroughbred Program...

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program announced that it has received a $75,000 donation from the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. The donation will help support aftercare efforts at the New Vocations facility in Medina, Ohio, which focuses on rehabbing, retraining and rehoming Thoroughbred racehorses retiring from racetracks in the state. "Making sure our horses have a good home after retiring from racing is vital to the Ohio HBPA," said Ohio HBPA Executive Director Dave Basler. "Continuing to support New Vocations is an easy decision given their 30-year track record...