Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation has awarded $65,000 in grants to nine organizations. In 2022, to fund scholarships and education, $10,000 was awarded to the Belmont Child Care Association, Inc., $5,000 to Amplify Horse Racing, $12,000 to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, $10,000 to the Maryland Horse Foundation, $4,000 to the MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, $5,000 to the Retired Race Horse Project, $4,000 to the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, $10,000 to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, and $5,000 to Wilson College. TERF primarily aims to support students in pursuit...

Edited Press Release The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) is pleased to announce the election of Katie LaMonica to the organization's Board of Directors. The TRF board provides leadership for carrying out the Foundation's mission to provide sanctuary for retired racehorses no longer able to compete on the racetrack and to save them from possible neglect, abuse and slaughter. "We are thrilled to welcome Katie to the Board," said Patrick Mackay, President and Chairman of the TRF. "Her longstanding experience within the Thoroughbred industry and her commitment to philanthropy make her...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCC), announced in a press release that the successful Second Chances program will expand to a new farm located at Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, about an hour outside Buffalo. The foundation has a rich history in the state with the flagship program at Wallkill Correctional Facility debuting in 1984 and still in operation today. There are 40 retired Thoroughbreds currently at the location. The Second Chances program is a pioneer in its...

Suzie O'Cain, one of the most well-known and unique personalities in the Thoroughbred industry in New York and who managed the late Carl Lizza's Highcliff Farm in Delanson for 23 years alongside her husband Dr. C. Lynwood 'Doc' O'Cain, passed away Jan. 4 in Saratoga Springs following a battle with breast cancer. Born in Madison, Wisconsin and raised in Mississippi, Suzie O'Cain attended the state university in Oxford and later graduated with a Bachelor's degree in education from The Ohio State University. "We met in Louisiana and were married in...

Stephanie Brennan has been elected to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Board of Directors. The TRF board provides leadership for carrying out the Foundation's mission to provide sanctuary for retired racehorses no longer able to compete on the racetrack and to save them from possible neglect, abuse and slaughter. "Once again the TRF has hit a home run by adding Stephanie to the Board," said Patrick Mackay, President and Chairman of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. "We welcome and look forward with great enthusiasm to her sharing her firsthand knowledge and expertise...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation will host an open house Dec. 3-11 at TRF Sanctuary at Chestnut Hall in Prospect, Kentucky featuring a Holiday Designer Show House to benefit the organization's herd of nearly 500 retired racehorses. The historic farmhouse will be decorated inside and out with decor in rooms designed by Cherry House Furniture, K.P. Designs, Living Spaces by Lyn, Debhelin Designs, Little Mount Lavender, Abbey Custom Interiors, Jason Jennings Designs and All Lit Up. The event has been spearheaded by volunteer Elizabeth Rosenberg and is being staffed by volunteers...

Kelsey Marshall Hughes has been elected to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF)'s board of directors. Hughes is vice president of partner relations for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The New Yorker was honored with the Katherine McKee Administration Award sponsored by Keeneland as part of the 2021 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. "I have had the pleasure of knowing Kelsey for a number of years and am thrilled that she has agreed to serve on our board," said Patrick Mackay, TRF's president and chairman. "She is totally committed to Thoroughbred aftercare and the...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) has received a $60,000 matching gift from the Santulli Family Foundation to launch the 2021 Hay Drive. Richard and Peggy Santulli will match every dollar donated to the TRF up to $60,000 for this campaign. The TRF's goal for the 2021 Hay Drive is $120,000 to cover the cost of hay for the nearly 500 former racehorses currently in their care throughout the country. The TRF Hay Drive is one of the most important campaigns for the organization and will be conducted by direct mail,...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host a worldwide livestream event Thursday, October 21 at 8 p.m. ET, celebrating the transformative power of horses through the TRF Lowell 20th Anniversary Horse Show. The virtual event will bring viewers inside the horse farm at the Lowell facility and provide an opportunity to experience the connection between the horses and the women currently participating in the program. The Lowell Horse Show will also shine a spotlight on several women who have successfully graduated from the program and gone on to brighter futures...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, in collaboration with TRF board member Anita Motion, will host a silent auction of original artwork to benefit the nearly 500 horses in the care of the organization. The event will be held at Belmont Park this Saturday, Oct. 9. The display featuring the artwork will be set up in the Clubhouse Lobby at Belmont Park and will run throughout the day starting when gates open at 11:00 a.m. The auction will close at approximately 4:52 p.m., which is the scheduled post time of the day's...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Barbecue at the Barn returns as an in-person event and will be held at Saratoga Winery Tuesday, Aug. 24, from 5-9 p.m. The event, which sold out in 2019, was held as a drive-thru in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to a meal, the event will feature family-friendly activities, music, raffle and silent auction items, along with book signings by Chris Brown, author of "Roll Cyrus Roll" and award-winning broadcaster and former jockey Donna Brothers, author of "Inside Track." There will also be...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), which cares for more than 500 retired Thoroughbreds and is the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, has had an additional seven locations accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) after receiving the honor for farms in Florida and Virginia late last year. To achieve accreditation, an organization must meet rigorous equine care requirements, undergo site visits, and adhere to standards regarding sustainability, ethical principles, finances, staffing, and more. The TRF farms newly accredited by GFAS are Blackburn Second Chances, in addition to...