Program Spotlight: Take The Lead

Started by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) in April 2013, in less than a year Take The Lead has turned into a popular program for New York horsemen to consider when their retired racehorses need new homes.

Led by NYTHA President Rick Violette, who also is on the board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Take the Lead’s Rick Schosberg and Andy Belfiore act as liaisons between New York horsemen and aftercare programs. Schosberg and Belfiore look to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved while also looking to secure a bright future for the horses in the program.

Take The Lead has seen an overwhelming response to the program, finding homes for a sizeable number of horses in its first eight months.

“Take The Lead has placed 30 horses in our first eight months, and horsemen have been enthusiastic about the program,” said Belfiore, the executive director for Take The Lead and TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program Inc. “Not only do they appreciate the service we offer them, they also have been quick to support our aftercare partners with generous donations. We have also had a great response from the veterinarians here at the track, who have gone above and beyond to donate their time to examine the horses before they head to their new homes, and from the van companies, who graciously ship the horses pro bono.”

Take The Lead does have a few requirements for any horse in the program. All horses must be stabled at a New York Racing Association track and their trainers must be stabled at the tracks for at least six months a year in order for the horse to be allowed into the program. In addition, any intact male must be gelded before being accepted into the program.

Each horse’s situation, from necessary rehabilitation to suitability in a second career, is examined to decide which aftercare program it will enter. Take The Lead only works with 501(C)(3) aftercare charities that follow the AAEP’s “Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities.”

Take The Lead representatives visit each program that seeks to become involved with Take The Lead, and its directors are interviewed by Take The Lead to make sure the program is a strong fit.

The most popular horse to go through Take The Lead thus far is Unbridled Danger, who made 113 starts in his career. Spending most of his eight-year career racing at New York tracks, the gelding retired with $341,978 in earnings and was a fan favorite at the track. Today, Unbridled Danger can be found hanging out in the paddocks at Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue with horses such as Evening Attire and Stud Muffin.

While Warmbloods have become the more popular type of horse for many English disciplines in the past 20 years, Belfiore thinks the tide is changing back to the Thoroughbred as people learn more about them.

“Until the 1980s, Thoroughbreds were the most popular breed for hunters and jumpers, and most of the horses in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame are Thoroughbreds, many of them off the track. Over the last 20 or 30 years, the Warmblood has replaced the Thoroughbred as the breed of choice, but that trend might be changing, with the help of programs like TAKE2 and The Jockey Club’s TIP Program,” she said.

“Thoroughbreds are still highly popular with three-day eventers and in polo, and with the help of great retraining facilities like New Vocations and Akindale, and showcases like the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover & National Symposium in Maryland, people are finding out that the breed is really versatile.”

Violette and P.J. Campo created TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, also part of the NYTHA, to spark more demand for Thoroughbreds in the show ring. A separate initiative from Take The Lead, TAKE2 sponsors prize money and awards for Thoroughbred-restricted hunter and jumper classes at shows around the nation. The program saw more than 350 horses compete in its sponsored classes with Thoroughbred organizations arond the country supporting the program. Belfiore hopes to see Take The Lead horses competing in TAKE2 classes in the near future.

For those looking to buy a recently retired Thoroughbred, Belfiore recommends adopting a horse from an aftercare facility instead of purchasing it straight from the track.

“The aftercare facilities take the time to acclimate the horses to life off the track, and they have the knowledge to determine what second career will best suit the individual horse. They do the groundwork, and they have a variety of horses to choose from. The adoption fees are very reasonable and well worth the time and effort the aftercare programs put into each horse,” she said.

“Thoroughbreds are born athletes, they like to learn and they take really well to second careers. They also tend to bond with the people closest to them, which makes working with them that much more gratifying.”

Many tracks are already working on starting aftercare programs and Take The Lead is modeled after the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s Turning for Home aftercare program. Take The Lead has the support of many veterinarians and van companies in addition to Schosberg’s commitment to its success, which Belfiore credits for the success of the program.

For those who want to donate to Take The Lead, you can sponsor the aftercare programs Take The Lead works with here or sponsor a Take the Lead horse or TAKE2 class here. 

If you know of a Thoroughbred Aftercare program that you think should be covered in America’s Best Racing’s Aftercare Program Spotlight, email Melissa Bauer-Herzog (mbauer-herzog@jockeyclub.com) with the program’s name and website.