Southern States, Tampa Bay Downs help OTTBs

Southern States Equine Specialist Olivia Croxton, left, helped deliver $1,200 in donated items to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at James River.

Southern States Equine Specialist Olivia Croxton, left, helped deliver $1,200 in donated items to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at James River.

Southern States donates to TRF

For the third consecutive year, OTTBs at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) in James River were the recipients of a generous donations from Southern States feed store in Midlothian, Va.

Customers of the store purchased myriad items for the horses when they did their shopping this season, doubling the amount donated to the TRF this year, says Olivia Croxton, equine specialist at the feed supply store.

After plucking a photo of a TRF horse from an Angel Tree set up in the equine section of the store, customers flipped the photo over to read a list of needed supplies, she says.

Customers purchased roughly $1,200 in feed, treats and health items.

“This was our third year doing it. We set up a little tree inside our equine department, and one of the (TRF) volunteers had taken pictures of the horses, and written needed items on the back of each picture,” Croxton says. “Each year the donations grow. This year, we donated 15 bags of Always Feed and 20 bags of treats. We also gave shampoos, halters, hoof picks, fly spray and other grooming items.”

Croxton is pictured with inmates at James River Work House, who helped to unload the bounty at Barn 4 this week.

Tampa Bay Downs pledged to support OTTB charity the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Tampa Bay Downs pledged to support OTTB charity the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Tampa Bay Downs signs on with TAA

(Press Release)— The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced this week that Tampa Bay Downs has joined the TAA community. The track, located in Tampa, Fla., has signed on to provide a per-start matching donation to the TAA beginning with its current 2015-2016 race meet.

Horse owners have the opportunity to contribute $5 per start to the TAA through their Horseman’s Bookkeeper Account for each horse that starts in a race at Tampa Bay Downs. The track will then match the contributions made by owners.

“We are delighted to join the growing number of racetracks that share the TAA’s mission to treat Thoroughbred athletes with the respect and compassion they deserve after their racing careers end,” stated Peter Berube, Tampa Bay Downs vice president and general manager. “Tampa Bay Downs is dedicated to providing each horse a safe retirement home and the opportunity to transition to a new career after they leave the track.”

“Tampa Bay Downs has demonstrated their deep commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare through this great initiative and should be highly commended for doing so,” said Jimmy Bell, TAA and Darley America president. “We are very grateful to the owners who will be making the $5-per-start donation and to Tampa Bay Downs for matching those donations. We hope more horsemen and racetracks throughout the country will continue to follow the example set by Tampa Bay Downs along with Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Keeneland, and Turfway Park who signed on earlier this year.”

Comeback hopes for famous painting horse

Metro Meteor's eyes appear to be improving. Here he enjoys a moment with owner Wendy Krajewski.

Metro Meteor’s eyes appear to be improving. Here he enjoys a moment of calm, listening to the soothing voice of owner Wendy Krajewski.

There is a glimmer of hope that Metro Meteor, the famous painting horse who suffered sudden onset blindness over the weekend, will recover, says his owner.

Ron Krajewski reports that his famous OTTB, a media celebrity since he learned to grip a paintbrush in his teeth to create abstract acrylic paintings, shows signs of improving after testing positive for a type of contamination known to cause temporary, reversible blindness.

Metro tested positive for leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that can be transmitted between species, including man, and can cause equine uveitis, which he was diagnosed with, and is the leading cause of blindness in horses, according to published reports. If Metro’s uveitis is recurring, his team hopes to get him into New Bolton for eye surgery, Krajewski says.

A Cyclosporine implant surgery, which would fight the uveitis, would only be sought if the uveitis is found to be recurring, he adds.

Race name: Metro Meteor
Sire: City Zip
Dam: Here Comes Nikki
Foal date: March 13, 2003
Earnings: $299,420
Currently under the care of his regular vet, Dr. Kimberly Brokaw, DVM, no effort has been spared—the vet took a day off from her practice to be with him—as Metro’s team helped the beautiful 13-year-old bay weather another storm in his life of ups and downs.

Brokaw is working hard to get Metro seen by a specialist at New Bolton, after an attempt to ship him themselves failed on Monday. The goal now is to hire professional shippers to move the horse to the hospital, Krajewski says, noting he is optimistic Metro will pull through this, yet another setback in his life of ups and downs.

“This is an amazing horse, and he has already made many comebacks in his life,” Krajewski says. “First he was a racehorse who couldn’t run anymore. Then he was a trail horse who couldn’t carry a rider anymore. A few years ago we were told he had only a year or two left to live because of bone-growth conditions, and every time, he made a comeback. And I’ve no doubt he’ll come back from this, and get his vision back.”

Metro’s eye problems started about a week ago with a “squinty” left eye. His visual range in that eye quickly deteriorated, and then the problem spread to his right eye. By Saturday, he was fully blind, and panicked, Krajewski says.

He was placed immediately on antibiotic Doxycycline even before his blood work returned the positive test for the contaminant; a regimen of eye treatments followed.

Dr. Kimberly Brokaw, DVM, examines Metro's eyes.

Dr. Kimberly Brokaw, DVM, examines Metro’s eyes.

One medication, Atropine, which has been used to protect his pupils, has likely compounded his blindness, Krajewski says, noting that when the as-needed medication is not given, Metro’s vision clears slightly. “I check his pupils everyday with a flashlight. If they’re round, he doesn’t get the Atropine. If they’re constricted and square, he does. On the days he doesn’t get the treatment, he sees light and shapes, but he can’t make anything out,” he says.

Although Metro was scheduled to see a specialist at the New Bolton Center on Monday, plans were changed when the terrified animal, who was fully blind that morning, refused to load onto the trailer.

“He tripped and fell down to his knees, and after that, he wouldn’t load,” he says. “We tried from about 6 to 9 a.m. when we finally brought him back to his stall.”

Metro fell a second time upon trying to enter his stall on Monday, and it took several hours to calm him down, he adds.

But by Tuesday, Metro’s demeanor seemed calmer, and Krajewski was feeling a little more optimistic about his outlook.

Though the process is expected to take six weeks, he is hopeful that with antibiotics and eye treatment, Metro’s vision will slowly return to normal.

In the meantime, Metro will not be making any more paintings in the foreseeable future, says Krajewski,who notes that fans, in an effort to help defray costs, have been buying up the remaining acrylic paintings.

Fans have come out of the woodwork to try to help, some suggesting a GoFundMe campaign be started for the medical expenses, Krajewski says. “We have politely declined. It has always been our intent that Metro be a horse who helps other horses through his charitable contributions (from painting sales), and not be a charity himself,” he says, noting that they do not accept cash donations.

However, those wishing to help may consider purchasing Metro’s other merchandise, he says.

Meantime, Metro’s team is hopeful. “Our vet is confident his that everything she is seeing right now in Metro is reversible,” he says. “She’s already talking about cutting back some of his medications.”

Touch Gold retires to Old Friends

Touch Gold is pictured at Old Friends. Photo by Rick Capone

Touch Gold is pictured at Old Friends. Photo by Rick Capone

GEORGETOWN, KY — Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, the horse famous for denying Silver Charm the Triple Crown in 1997, has been retired to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Ky.

Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends, made the announcement yesterday.

The 21-year-old stallion comes to Old Friends from Adena Springs in Paris, Ky., and has been generously donated by Adena owner Frank Stronach along with an endowment. In October, Old Friends also accepted the Stronach-owned Alphabet Soup.

Touch Gold
Sire: Deputy Minister
Dam: Passing Mood
Foal date: May 26, 1994
Earnings: $1,679,907 in 15 starts
Sired by Deputy Minister out of the Buckpasser mare Passing Mood, Touch Gold began his career in Canada with trainer Daniel J. Vella. He came to United States as a 3-year-old and was campaigned by David Hofmans. In the U.S.Touch Gold won the GR2 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. Not entered in the Kentucky Derby, he ran fourth in Preakness Stakes after a troubled trip and a suffering a hoof injury.

In the Belmont, Touch Gold laid Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid to rest when he went wide and surged ahead to catch the favorite in the closing yards.

Silver Charm was repatriated from Japan in 2014 and is also now pensioned at Old Friends.

Touch Gold went on the capture the GR1 Haskell Invitational before retiring with 15 starts,6 wins and career earnings of $1,679,907.

As a sire, Touch Gold is well represented by four Grade I winners, including, Royal Challenger who won the Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, and Seek Gold, who won the GR1 Stephen Foster Handicap and is now also retired at Old Friends. His son Medalist is also a multiple-graded-stakes winner.

“It’s amazing to reunite these two great rivals,” said Blowen of Touch Gold and Silver Charm. “We also now have War Emblem and the horse who ended his Triple Crown Bid, Sarava. It’s a great to revisit and recount these wonderful racing stories.

“Our thanks again to Mr. Stronach and everyone at Adena Springs for entrusting us with this amazing horse,” Blowen continued. “We hope all of Touch Gold’s fans will come visit him.”