Turn For Home

A new count released on March 24 by the North American horse industry indicates that more than two our of every 1,000 thoroughbreds that started a race between Nov. 2008 and Nov. 2009, had a fatal injury. This count only involved actual racing injuries not those that were incurred during morning training. It is a sobering statistic to be sure.

All the more reason why a program at Philadelphia Park, Turning for Home, is so important. A recent piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer highlighted the zero tolerance stance by Philadelphia Park with regard to slaughter-auction sales and the benefits of their horse retirement program.

In fact, Philadelphia Park's effort is seen as a paradigm for the industry: "Instead of simply banning sales of horses to slaughter auctions, Philadelphia Park has a full-service adoption program supported by trainers, jockeys, the horsemen's association and the track management." Each trainer must contribute $10 per start per horse per race; jockeys pay $5 if they win or place.

To date, 359 horses have been place in the program, with most of them finding new homes and careers as show or pleasure horses. Some are euthanized due to the extent of their injuries but none are sold for slaughter.

Since so many thoroughbred owners do not have day to day contact with their horses/investments, many fail to realize that these investments ultimately need a place to retire. I maintain that if they were the ones actually caring for their charges every day, instead of just writing the checks for those that do, the deicision to sell them to unidentified buyers would be less casual. When you care for and about something, you care for them forever.

Kudos to Philly Park for showing the way!