Bindle Stick is a 2006 Tapit gelding. Photo courtesy Sandy Seabrook, New Vocations
New Vocations wins ASPCA grant
(Press Release) Marysville, Ohio – New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program announced Sept. 24 that a $15,000 grant has been awarded by the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to aid the non-profit program in rehabilitating Thoroughbreds off the racetrack.
“The number one reason horses retire from the track is due to some type of injury,” says Anna Ford, New Vocations Program Director. “The majority of the horses we receive need to be rehabilitated from an injury prior to being retrained and re-homed.
Unfortunately, the rehabilitation process requires a lot of time and funding. Thankfully, the ASPCA’s grant provides greatly needed funding that allows us to rehabilitate a number of horses that otherwise might be turned away.”
The grant from the ASPCA will enable New Vocations to rehabilitate additional injured Thoroughbreds over the next 12 months. It is provided via the ASPCA’s Million Dollar Rescuing Racers Initiative, which aids in the rescue and rehabilitation of retired racehorses. The Initiative, now in its fourth year, was established to provide retired racehorses with the chance of rehabilitation and help them transition into a new, positive life away from the track.
“Giving retired thoroughbreds enough time to heal from their career-ending injuries is a costly proposition and outside the reach of many rescues,” says Jacque Schultz, senior director of the ASPCA Equine Fund. “The ASPCA Equine Fund is happy to help New Vocations provide this necessary respite.”
In 2012, New Vocations successfully rehabilitated an additional 30 injured Thoroughbreds with the help of last year’s grant provided through the ASPCA Million Dollar Rescuing Racers Initiative.
Horses received, on average, 90 days of rehabilitation from previous track injuries followed by additional time for retraining and re-homing.
In addition to the 30 Thoroughbreds funded by the Initiative, New Vocations took in over 400 retired racehorses.
Among the 30 Thoroughbred success stories was the 2006 Tapit gelding, Bindle Stick, who had 40 starts and $49,659 total earnings. The gelding retired due to a suspensory injury he sustained during his racing career. He spent just over 3 months rehabilitating from his injury prior to entering the retraining program. Bindle Stick was later adopted in January 2013, and now successfully competes in Hunters.
Earlier this year, he won reserve champion at his first show.
New Vocations continues to lead the nation in racehorse adoptions. Starting with a single farm in Dayton, Ohio, the program has grown to have six facilities located in: Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Serving over 40 racetracks, New Vocations works directly with owners and trainers in need of an aftercare program for horses leaving the track. The program has a sound adoption system in place that is proven to move a large number of horses in a rather short period of time. Their sole mission is to provide non-competitive, often injured racehorses with a peaceful environment and skilled hands to assist in their development as pleasure mounts and therefore, a future. For more information visit their website at www.newvocations.org.
Klassy Briefcase at Old Friends Equine. Photo by Rick Capone
Klassy Briefcase dies
(Press Release) GEORGETOWN, Ky—Klassy Briefcase, a record-setting sprinter and broodmare, died September18 at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY. The daughter of Medieval Man out of the Pruner mare Leather Gallery was 28.
A New Jersey bred, Klassy Briefcase was campaigned by owners Dan Kelliher and Lara Levine and was long considered not only one of the fastest sprinters of the Mid-Atlantic circuit, but also one of the fastest mares of her generation.
In 1990 she set a 5-furlong record at Pimlico winning the Park Heights Handicap in :56 3/5. She went on to set a new world record at Monmouth Park going 5 furlongs in :54 4/5. Among her other victories were the Primonetta Stakes, the Princess Rooney Stakes, and the Fair Haven Haven Handicap.
In all Klassy Briefcase captured 18 of her 42 starts and earnings of $362,959. Her career is celebrated annually with the running of the Klassy Briefcase Stakes at Monmouth Park.
As a broodmare, she produced four winners, and the GR2 winner Briecat carries on her female line. Retired from breeding in 2008, Klassy Briefcase was generously donated to Old Friends by her owners.
“Klassy with a K was Classy with a C as well,” said Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen. “Her intelligent demeanor and kind disposition made her one of Old Friend’s most popular retirees. She will be missed.”
For more information contact Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.
We have Klassy’s half sister retired here at home- A Little Leather- we bought her as a weanling when Klassy was just getting to the races-Leather was very talented but the racetrack totally did her in- the closest she came to breaking her maiden was by a nose running cheap at the old Delaware Park- but she was an awesome sporthorse and a phenomenal jumper. We had the pleasure of seeing Klassy at Old Friends a few years ago and are grateful to everyone at Old Friends for the wonderful work they do….
God rest your soul beautiful Klassy. You were so gorgeous!!!