Ea, right, the son of Dynaformer, greets D’Tiger before going on a hack six weeks after leaving the track. Both are retired at Florida TRAC.
Two warriors of the track, one the son of the great Dynaformer, who ran with the best before he dropped in class, the other a hard-knocking winner who ground out 105 starts in his lifetime, saw their lives in racing end not hard, but with a soft, gentle welcoming into a life of blue sky and green grass.
Just before Christmas, Dynaformer’s son Ea, the handsome embodiment of his famous father, who also sports the same white chin marking of his famous brother Barbaro, arrived at Florida TRAC fit as a fiddle, and ready to take on the world.
He just wasn’t too sure about taking on a grassy field of other horses.
“It was really cute. The first day we turned him out with other horses, he’d run right out, look at them, and come right back to me,” says Barbi Moline, Florida TRAC’s director of farms. “It was like he was asking if this was real, and if he could do it too.”
Ea quickly got the hang of the good life, however, and is especially adept at socializing with other horses, and heading out on trail rides.
Ea is a personably horse who is already charming his way into the good graces of youngsters.
The change in lifestyle came abruptly. After he finished first in a $5,000 claimer at Laurel Park, the gentleman who had claimed the hardworking animal reached out to Florida TRAC, seeking to retire him. He had been contacted by Friends of Barbaro, who asked him to consider retirement.
“The trainer deserves a lot of credit, because he readily agreed,” she says. “The horse is 10, and, although he won his last race, it was a little sad that he was running for a low amount” after previously running at such elevated levels.
“When they’ve made so much money and have raced so many times, it’s sad when they’re running” for low tags, she adds.
A few weeks later, racing warrior Hollywood Left took a page from Ea’s playbook.
After finishing 7th in a $4,000 claimer at Mountaineer, the Multiple Stakes Placed racehorse, who knocked in 105 starts and earned approximately $600,000, also found a new home with Florida TRAC.
“This is a blue collar horse who was running every week or two, and was ready to retire,” Moline says. “His trainer Craig Cox had promised to call us when he was ready to let him go, and he did; he called after his last race and said he was done.”
Hollywood Left arrives sound at Florida TRAC after 105 starts.
Both Hollywood and Ea arrived at Florida TRAC in very good shape, she says.
“He was sound, but needed to be gelded, so we took care of that,” she says of Hollywood. “We get horses in who are injured, some come with bowed tendons, but in this case, both of these guys were good.”
So good that after a few weeks hanging out, they were tacked up and taken on trail rides. Slow, relaxed, fun jaunts getting them ready for the next good turn in life: a good home.
“I wouldn’t put any restrictions or limitations on what they can do in the future,” Moline says. “They’re both in good shape, and even though they’re older, they don’t seem to have any problems at all.”
So glad Ea is retired.I was worried when David Jacobson claimed him.glad the new trainer let him go.he will be a great horse for someone!
So happy to hear of happy retirements for hard working horses. Laurel Park is certainly NOT “bottom of the barrel”. I’m pleased to call Laurel and Pimlico home and we have top level G1 horses that run here every year. Not every race is a $5K claiming race just like every other track in North America.
My retired event horse was a $1500 claimer at Atlantic City. That was a bad track before it closed. His brother, which I just lost, was graded stakes horse with 2 records that still stand.
I had Ea in my Virtual Stable – so happy he’s safe and will eventually have a loving forever home!
And, hey, Laurel is NOT some downmarket bush league oval – it’s a nice track with some fine trainers, jockeys, and owners. Just sayin’ 😉
I don’t think it was meant that Laurel was a bad track She was stating he was running for little money ..the trainer who claimed Ea got him from Jacobsen..and yes there are good guys at Mountaineer too. Craig Cox could have sold Hollywood,but called me instead to retire him.
Thrilled for both these horses — but, c’mon, Laurel Park is NOT the “bottom of the barrel.”
Penn, Charlestown, Thistle Downs and Mountaineer are bad lower level tracks. But there are trainers at those tracks that have hearts too.
Congratulations to these wonderful boys. Sounds like they had wonderful trainers and a terrific life ahead of them. Well done!!!
So glad to see these guys retired, sound no less, after long careers. Happy days ahead for them at TRAC!
Bravo! In my experiences with the OTTB, these “older” gentlemen coming off the track sound is an indication of just how savvy they are – they took good care of themselves, which is a smart horse to have in your corner (or under your tack)!
A story of cooperation with a great outcome. Two trainers being reasonable, a great OTTB organization that knows how to welcome and reorient and rehome OTTBs, and two happy horses. These two boys are living the good life now!
Just crying from joy; thank you to trainer Craig Cox and other unnamed trainer! You are true Men & to me, Heroes for not wanting to absolutely make that last buck but giving back to the horse.
Bless you and may karma reward you.
Of course I will not forget Barbi Moline. XX
The racing industry sends about 18,000 Thoroughbred race horses to slaughter every year. According to Dr. Patty Hogan, this amounts to one-half of the annual foal crop.
Last year’s crop was just over 24,000 foals, so I’m not sure where you’re getting your numbers.
Where do these slaughter numbers come from?..I think they are grossly inflated.
2013 foal crop is as Arnette said around 24,000. Foal crops have declined from around 50,000 to present levels over the past 5-6 years. I believe that while the slaughter numbers are higher than anyone would like them to be, they are not close to the number quoted.
Bravo to Barbi and all involved! Now THIS deserves a #FullStoryPETA! Barbi, hope Pitched Perfectly is doing great.