second careers

In the horse world, value is too often measured in miles ridden, ribbons won, or jumps cleared. Success is frequently defined by performance, competition, or potential. But there's an entire population of horses--older, injured, sensitive, or simply different--who remind us that value has nothing to do with being under saddle. These are the horses who work in-hand. They don't need to be ridden to be remarkable. They don't perform in the arena, but they show up in ways that are often quieter, more profound, and more enduring. And yet, too...

Proceeds from the 2024 Jess Clark Memorial Silks & Satins 5k Race will benefit the nonprofit Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, the group announced via presser Friday. Set to start and end at the Fasig-Tipton grounds Saturday, July 13, the race will run through the streets of Saratoga Springs, which will be closed to traffic for about an hour. Proceeds donated to the group will go toward their mission of retraining retired racehorses to aid in therapeutic work by way of contribution to mental health programs and providing support to individuals...

For Andrea Cerofolini, the love of the horse was ignited later in life. But his passion for the Thoroughbred has taken center stage over the past decade, highlighted by an ever-deepening involvement with off-the-track race horses. "When I'm on a Thoroughbred, I feel like I am flying on a cloud," Cerofolini said. "I just don't feel that way on other types of horses. It's just magical." Through his connection with the Thoroughbred, Cerofolini became involved with TAKE2, a non-profit committed to promoting and developing second careers for racehorses following their...

Hope After Service, a new organization pairing retired racehorses with veterans with PTSD, as well as with autistic children, has been formed in Shawnee, Ok. Founded by disabled veterans Ashton Strader, Robert Whitlow, and Craig Whitlow, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit's mission is "bringing hope, healing, and renewal to veterans, retired racehorses, and communities nationwide." The founders have backgrounds in racing and plan to select retired racehorses to undergo retraining as trusted companions and therapists, offering solace and healing to those in need. Horses in the program not suitable for this work...

In this new TDN column, Christie DeBernardis will tell the stories of popular and/or accomplished former racehorses who are now enjoying second careers as show horses, track ponies, etc. The first two foals out of the mighty Zenyatta, Cozmic One (Bernardini) and Ziconic (Tapit), never reached the winner's circle during their brief careers on the racetrack, but they are both thriving in their second careers as jumpers and ambassadors for off-track Thoroughbreds. The elder brother, Cozmic One's second career has been well documented in these pages (Cozmic One: Shining New...

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) has revealed the winners and other placings from its 2021 performance awards program and the T.I.P./United States Polo Association (USPA) annual polo awards. The awards recognize Thoroughbreds that have accumulated the most points at all horse shows through a variety of disciplines and experience levels. In 2021, 726 Thoroughbreds from 42 states and four provinces competed in more than 15,000 classes, divisions, and events. Division awards were calculated in 14 discipline categories, 92 discipline divisions, and eight junior rider divisions. In addition, Thoroughbred...

Nearly 200 Thoroughbreds competed in The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Championships held earlier this month in Aiken, South Carolina. There were classes covering seven disciplines and there were 26 divisions spanning hunters, jumpers, dressage, combined tests, Western dressage, English pleasure and Western pleasure. That meant a lot of variety among the competitors, all of them with a unique story. There was a 27-year-old horse and a 2-year-old horse. There were horses that didn't accomplish much of anything during their racing careers and then there was one, Two Notch...

Since the TDN first interviewed Katie Larsen, who founded Southern Belle Thoroughbreds in 2017, the organization's impact on safe placement of racehorses at Woodbine and Fort Erie has grown exponentially. Southern Belle has placed 257 racehorses in two years and it has become a regular source for Thoroughbred Makeover prospects. The operational model at Southern Belle resembles that of Canter in the United States. Southern Belle has volunteers on the racetrack grounds who serve as the organization's ambassadors and facilitators, making contact with trainers who have racehorses they wish to...

It was only this past Tuesday that the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) invited fans to submit photos or videos to social media of their Off-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) for inclusion in a series of video montages to be played during the upcoming Eclipse Awards, but the enthusiastic response already has overwhelmed those charged with weaving this tribute together. "It's been terrific," said Keith Chamblin, the NTRA's chief operating officer, who said that the NTRA offices have been inundated with emails from OTTB owners, alongside the slew of messages posted on...