OTTBs

Rider Emily Ellingwood straightened Night Beacon (Spun to Run) for her stretch run, then banked the young filly for the gallop out. All the while she allowed her mount--who moved like a western pleasure horse--to feel the ground beneath her during what was becoming a regular workout late in 2023. But it wasn't a nicely-groomed all-weather surface the pair were traveling over. No, the terrain was undulating and severe. Among the flora was fauna which included snakes and coyotes. There's no renovation break amid the rock and earth here. True,...

Shelley Mann will be stepping down from her role as Executive Director of the Lexington-based Secretariat Center effective Dec. 29, the non-profit said in a release late Wednesday. Mann joined the organization in 2020 and has played a pivotal role in advancing the organization's mission to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for successful post-track careers. During Mann's tenure, the organization experienced growth in both reach and impact. Outgoing president of the board Dr. Holly Schmitt said, "We are immensely grateful for the tremendous impact Shelley has had on The Secretariat Center. Her...

The Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance voted at its Dec. 14 meeting to elect six new directors for 2024, the non-profit said in a release Wednesday afternoon. Directors beginning service in 2024: Christina Blacker, Racing Host and Analyst at FanDuel Jay Privman, Former National Correspondent at Daily Racing Form Dean Roethemeier, Assistant Director of Sales Operations at Keeneland Barbara Vanlangendonck, Owner of Summerfield Sales   Directors returning for a second term in 2024: Walter Robertson, Attorney at Stites & Harbison Yvonne Schwabe, Owner of Persley Den Farms...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced a new partnership with Lexington, Kentucky-based equine feed manufacturer Hallway Feeds, the organization said in a release Friday. Family-owned and operated by the Hall Family since 1964, the company is prepared to make a major financial commitment to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare through this collaboration. Select Hallway Feeds bags will proudly feature the 'Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Proud Supporter' Seal. In addition, the partnership will include race presentations and event booths. "Hallway Feeds is proud to support the efforts of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. As a company that...

Edited Press Release Vive La France! BraveHearts--the largest equine-assisted services program for veterans in the United States--announced that Trail to Zero, Ride to End Veteran Suicide, is going international. The acclaimed organization will host two rides on Friday, June 2, in Deauville and Saturday, June 3, on Utah Beach, Normandy, right before the 79th anniversary of D-Day. BraveHearts has hosted 20-mile rides in major cities across the U.S. over the last seven years in an effort to reduce the number of veterans who died by suicide each day and shine...

The Secretariat Center will host "Movie Night Under the Stars," featuring the movie Dreamer Oct. 1. The event opens at 6 p.m. with the movie starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 a person and are on sale at www.secretariatcenter.org. There will be food available for purchase from Salsarita's, Mr. Gyro, and Mister Softee Ice Cream and beverages from Blue Stallion Brewery. They will have a Keeneland Kid Zone, mini ponies, a Lexington FD fire truck and horse jumps for kids. Popcorn is free and there will be special giveaways...

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...

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...

Run for the Ribbons will hold the first annual Food Fight Fundraiser at Cedar Lock Farm Oct. 23 at 5 p.m., featuring a chili cook-off, live music, raffles, and door prizes. All proceeds go to the charitable organization RFTR to fund off-track Thoroughbred retraining and rehoming programs. Taster Tickets can be purchased online at runfortheribbons.org for $10 each and include a sample cup of each chili, one vote card, bread, one beverage, and access to raffles, including a 50/50 cash raffle. Tasters will vote for the Food Fight Champion after...

Jennifer McVoy is a Licensed Master Social Worker and the founder of Out Side In, located in Grand Haven, MI, who grew up riding and showing Arabians. Her first educational degree was in business and she began her work life in the corporate world, but, early on, she decided that it wasn't for her and went back to school to earn her Master's Degree in Social Work. For 15 years, she practiced traditional therapy in a public-school setting and was always aware that horses could make a difference for people...

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...