LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society

LongRun Thoroughbred adoptees Pumpkin Rumble (left) and Roxy’s Vision (right). Credit: John Morse PhotograPhy

Services: Sanctuary, Rehabilitation, Adoption, Equine-Assisted

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Founded: 2000

Website: longrunretirement.com

Social:

Average Number of Thoroughbreds: 80

All they need is love! And who could not help but love Pumpkin Rumble and Roxy’s Vision, both of whom enjoyed successful careers at the racetrack.

Roxy’s Vision campaigned for his breeders, Ellen and Joe MacLellan, winning six times, placing in two stakes, and earning $187,486 prior to his retirement to LongRun in 2018. After a few months at the LongRun facility in Hillsburgh, Ontario, Roxy’s Vision was adopted by Kate Shoup and her daughter Dakota as a horse to share, but Dakota bonded so deeply with Roxy that Kate was feeling left out of the equation and knew she had better find a horse of her own.

Enter the accomplished Pumpkin Rumble, whose 11 wins included the 2018 and 2019 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine, and banking more than $700,000 for owners Bill and Al Ulwelling. After one start at Gulfstream Park in early 2020, Pumpkin sustained a minor injury and his connections decided that it would be in his best interest to enjoy retirement. He entered the LongRun program and he quickly caught the attention of Kate and joined her in June of 2020, so now mother and daughter each have a horse they love.

Roxy’s Vision and Pumpkin Rumble are two of more than 1,000 retired horses that LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, founded in 2000, has helped enjoy a happy and dignified retirement, either through adoption, rescue, financial assistance, or third-party placements via networking. The first formal Thoroughbred retirement program in eastern Canada, LongRun has been very fortunate in having generous support from Ontario’s racing community as well as from both the TAA and Thoroughbred Charities of America.

LongRun deals mainly with runners recently retired from the racetrack and has its main office conveniently located on the backstretch of Woodbine racetrack near Toronto. LongRun’s retirees were initially cared for by a number of sanctioned foster farms in and around the metropolitan Toronto area but, thanks in large part to a very generous bequest from the late Lana Hershelle Sniderman, the bulk of the horses—50 are at the facility at a time—moved to a beautiful 100-acre, 46-stall farm in Hillsburgh.

LongRun, which has a large indoor arena, holds equine-assisted therapy and educational programs in partnership with Woodbine and also serves as a public showcase for some of Ontario’s racing stars. These programs help people experiencing challenges in their lives and also give a sense of purpose to horses whose age or infirmities dictate a life of sanctuary at LongRun.

LongRun Success Stories

Impressive Edge – multiple graded stakes-placed son of Harlan’s Holiday had a record of 2-0-3 and earnings of $160,746 before being retired. Read more >>

Queen’s Honor – The Kentucky-bred daughter of To Honor and Serve never broke her maiden but she’s now finding her calling outside racing. Read more >>