TRF Second Chances Program

By Francis LaBelle, courtesy Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Celestial City learned how to be a racehorse by continually proving himself against top competition. Each time he raced, he showed that the lessons he was learning were taking hold. Celestial City became a graded stakes winner, but just when his promising career was finally taking flight, he sustained an injury that ended his days as a racehorse. Now, he has a new home and a new purpose. On February 12, Celestial City joined the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's (TRF) herd at the Lowell...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, with the support of Saratoga Arts, has launched an online art exhibit and auction to support the TRF Second Chances Program and Second Chances Prison ART, both at Pleasant Valley State Prison. The exhibit, which features artwork created by incarcerated individuals in the Second Chance Prison ART Program, opened Jan. 1 and auction bidding will begin Feb. 1 and continue through Feb. 29. Proceeds from the auction will directly benefit the TRF Second Chances Program, supporting its mission to provide retired Thoroughbred racehorses with sanctuary and...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) has launched a brick pathway fundraising campaign at the Wallkill Correctional Facility in Wallkill, New York, the organization said in a release Thursday. Honoring the flagship location of the TRF Second Chances Program and their partnership with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the fundraiser will commemorate 40 years of "Saving Horses and Changing Lives." To support its mission, a brick pathway will be constructed on the horse farm near the historical Walstein Childs House. Bricks will be available through the...

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...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), in collaboration with the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum, will host a live-streaming, virtual exhibit premier on Monday, Mar. 22 from 6:00-6:30 p.m. ET to debut the "Saving Horses, Saving Lives, A Celebration--Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Exhibit," a new addition to the museum. "It is extremely important to tell the story of the important work that the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is doing not only in South Carolina, but all over the country," said Lisa Hall, the Museum Coordinator at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing...

Heidi Richards is a lifelong horsewoman and rancher. She grew up riding, and at age 16, began working at a Thoroughbred training center. Since that time, Richards has re-trained and transitioned more than 100 off-track Thoroughbreds. When Richards moved to Coalinga, California, a city in Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, for college, she began a 10-year career at Harris Farms where she worked in every aspect of the breeding and training of Thoroughbreds. Her career on the farm ended when Richards began to feel conflicted about the...

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host a re-imagined "TRF BBQ at the Barn" summer fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 11 from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Saratoga Winery. This year's BBQ will be carry-out with a twist. Guests will drive thru the grounds to enjoy a "TRF Experience" with miniature ponies, racing celebrities, goodies for the kids, and a special appearance by Joey, the TRF Herd Ambassador, who will be returning to Saratoga from the TRF Second Chances Program at Wallkill. The event will feature food from Barnsider BBQ in...