Zayat Stables to Donate to New Vocations

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program announced Aug. 25 that Zayat Stables has committed to donating a percentage of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah's purse earnings for the remainder of his racing career to support the program's mission to rehab, retrain, and rehome retired racehorses.

The announcement comes shortly after the Zayats' confirmation that American Pharoah will be running at Saratoga Race Course in the Aug. 29 Travers Stakes (gr. I).

Zayat Stables retires horses to New Vocations each year and is an ongoing supporter of the annual Breeders' Cup pledge, where owners and trainers opt to pledge a percentage of their championship earnings to the aftercare program. This year, Zayat Stables is taking it a step further by pledging a percentage of American Pharoah's earnings leading up to and including the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Keeneland.

"We feel owning a horse is a lifelong responsibility, which is why we are happy to support New Vocations' aftercare efforts. We are firmly committed to the care of our horses from the moment they are born, while they are on the track and once they retire," owner Ahmed Zayat said.

"We are very thankful and honored to be the recipient of the Zayat Stable's generous pledge," said Anna Ford, New Vocation's program director. "The Zayats truly care about their horses beyond the track and we are forever grateful for their ongoing support of our program. We hope their kind gesture will encourage other owners to do the same, as we rely heavily on donations to continue to take in hundreds of retired racehorses each year and ensure their successful second careers."

New Vocations first opened their barn doors in 1992 to retired racehorses looking for new careers. Starting with a single farm near Dayton, Ohio, the program has grown to six facilities in Kentucky, Ohio 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. Currently, the program leads the nation in racehorse adoptions, taking in over 450 horses each year.

New Vocations 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 focus is on adoption verses retirement, believing that each horse deserves to have an individual home and a purpose. For more information, visit www.newvocations.org.