Canter for The Cause

All Posts & News Press Releases Success Stories Aftercare Editorials Supporter Features Inspector Spotlights   Previous PostNext Post Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announced as Beneficiary for Maryland Jockey Club’s Canter for a Cause Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announced as Beneficiary for Maryland Jockey Club’s Canter for a Cause FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2023 News Tags:1/st, 1/ST Racing, Canter for The Cause, Maryland Jockey Club, Pimlico Race Course, TAA, Tbaftercare, Thoroughbred Aftercare, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance LEXINGTON, KY — Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at Pimlico Race Course for the annual Canter for a Cause charity event on Sunday, October 29, 2023. Sponsored by the Maryland Jockey Club, Canter for a Cause is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT rain or shine, with all proceeds going to Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Canter for a Cause is an annual event that gives riders the opportunity to ride their personal horse on a racetrack. The event serves as an excellent opportunity to promote second careers for Thoroughbreds and put accredited aftercare at the forefront, with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance being the sole beneficiary of the event. A representative from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site at the event to answer questions about life after racing and accredited aftercare. Entries will be taken in four groups: Seabiscuit (walk, trot, canter, and gallop); Secretariat (walk, trot, and slow canter); War Admiral (walk and trot); and Ben’s Cat (lead line). Each participant will be assigned a ride time based on his or her group, and requests to ride with friends should be made in advance. All riders will have the opportunity to get a picture taken by the official track photographer, Jim McCue, in the Winner’s Circle. “Maryland Jockey Club is honored to host Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at the Canter for a Cause event for another consecutive year,” said Georganne Hale, Vice President of Racing Development at the Maryland Jockey Club. “Our shared commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare ensures that retired racehorse have access to resources necessary to ensure a bright new future once they are done racing.” The registration deadline for Canter for a Cause is Monday, October 23, 2023, at 5 p.m. EDT. Space is limited and the entry deadline is firm, so it is suggested that anyone interested register as soon as possible. Entries may be submitted online: www.pimlico.com/canter-for-a-cause. About Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Based in Lexington, KY, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members. Since inception in 2012, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has granted more than $31.9 million to accredited aftercare organizations. Currently 86 aftercare organizations comprised of approximately 180 facilities across North America have been granted accreditation. To learn more about Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org. Contact Samantha Smith 859-224-2882 ssmith@thoroughbredaftercare.org Emily Dresen 352-362-6934 edresen@thoroughbredaftercare.org Share This Release  

Legendary Pimlico Race Course will once again play host to the popular Canter for a Cause Sunday, Oct. 10, giving the public an opportunity to walk, trot, canter or gallop their favorite horse or pony around the historic track.

More than 75 equine enthusiasts, many with retired Thoroughbreds, walked, trotted, or cantered their horse across legendary Gulfstream Park Monday morning as part of the second annual Canter for the Cause. The event attracted riders from throughout Florida, as well as several retired Thoroughbreds with the Davie Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit and the City of Coral Gables mounted unit. The event, which ran Monday morning and afternoon for all equine enthusiasts, benefited the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding, and Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care (TRAC), an accredited TAA facility. Canter for the Cause was sponsored by Gulfstream Park, the Florida Horsemen’s Protective and Benevolent Association (FHBPA), Seminole Feed and Purina.   “This is a fun day for us at Gulfstream Park. I guess it’s the equivalent of playing softball at Yankee Stadium,” said Aidan Butler, Chief Operating Officer of 1/ST Racing. “It gives us a chance to not only showcase what we do on the track here but showcase what horses do for aftercare. A lot of people don’t know this but Thoroughbreds, while born and bred to race, are awesome at all kinds of other disciplines. We have some police horses here, we have a bunch of polo ponies, dressage and show jumpers, and other cool disciplines that racehorses excel at. And with the benefit of Florida TRAC and the TAA, which are the beneficiaries of this charity event, we hope to do even more.” Katie Schmit, farm manager and trainer at Florida (TRAC), said: “I think it’s awesome to do things like this and encourage people to see off the track thoroughbreds. We just need to keep raising awareness of aftercare. We need our focus on what horses are going to do after their racing careers and raising awareness at the track, and involving the horsemen is really special.” “We can’t thank Gulfstream Park enough for their continued support of accredited Thoroughbred aftercare and including the TAA in this fun event,” said Alexandra Kokka, Marketing and Communications Manager at TAA. “For some attendees, it was a dream come true to get to ride their horse at this hallowed racetrack and seeing their exhilarated faces was priceless. We are excited to continue working with Gulfstream Park to find new ways to support our beloved Thoroughbreds.” Some of the retired Thoroughbreds returning to the track were Shadow Boxer, who is training for eventing, mounted police horses Tizrobertcharles and Guidoinaspeedo, Sweet Karen Sue, who became a hunter, and Cicerone, who went on to be a jumper. Photos: Coglianese Photo

Walk, Trot or Canter Your Horse on Gulfstream’s Legendary Track March 15. Ride Across the Same Track at Cigar, Holy Bull, Gun Runner & Spectacular Bid. Proceeds to Benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

More than 100 equine enthusiasts participated Saturday morning in Gulfstream Park’s first Canter for the Cause, a unique opportunity allowing horse owners to walk, canter or trot their horses across the legendary South Florida track.

Gulfstream Park will provide a unique opportunity for all equine owners and enthusiasts to walk, canter, or trot their horses across the legendary South Florida track Saturday, Nov. 9 in the inaugural Canter for the Cause.

More than 170 riders from across the Mid-Atlantic region, ranging in age from 2 to 80, took part in the sixth annual Canter for the Cause at Pimlico Race Course June 2 to raise awareness and funds for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Sponsored by the Maryland Jockey Club and The Equiery, Canter for the Cause offered participants the unique opportunity to walk, jog, canter, or gallop their horses over the same Pimlico main track that has hosted such champions as Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Secretariat and recent Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. Riders were also able to walk their horses through the starting gate and have their pictures taken in the Pimlico winner’s circle. Georganne Hale, Vice President of Racing Development for the Maryland Jockey Club, was pleased with both the turnout and the level of enthusiasm shown by all Canter for the Cause participants. “We had 12-hand ponies up to 18-hand horses. We had ex-jockeys, children, and businessmen and women riding. We had all breeds of horses. It was such a great variety of people and animals,” Hale said. “It was a great event, the weather was perfect, and riders were grinning and smiling when they pulled up. “It was great to see so many horse owners excited to ride on the historic Pimlico racetrack,” she added. “This even was on so many riders’ bucket list. I want to thank everyone who helped make this a successful event.”. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. The TAA is supported by owners, breeders, trainers, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry groups. Since 2012, the TAA has granted more than $13.8 million to accredited aftercare organizations, and more than 7,800 Thoroughbreds have been retrained, retired, or rehomed by TAA-accredited organizations. Currently, 70 organizations with approximately 160 facilities hold TAA accreditation.