Do the breeders ever wonder/care where their TB's end up?

[Jaegermonster]

When I bought my mare from a private seller as a three year old, I discovered she had gone through a dispersal sale for broodmares at Ocala OBS. I did a little legwork etc and tracked down some farms, so one day a friend and I drove to Ocala for the day to try to find the farms and see what we could figure out.
Totally expecting to get doors slammed in our faces, every single person at every single farm(we went to four farms) was very accomodating. At the last farm we visited, I actually spoke to the rider who had actually broke and galloped my mare. He was now the manager of the farm, and he actually remembered her, and thought well of her. I had brought a small photo album and showed him several photos of us showing etc and he was thrilled to see that she had a good home and was doing so well.
To top it all off, he stopped what he was doing to dig through some old boxes and found some gorgeous 8x10 glossy photos and stallion information on my mare’s sire, which he gave me.

Here’s the kicker: if anyone does anything extra while you are digging around, be sure and write a thank you note. Thoroughbred farms and people who work there are very busy. People remember things like that and it makes alot of goodwill for those who come after you digging around.
That was many years ago (the mare is still with me and 14 now and I have a filly from her), but every now and then I send him a note and photos, and always hear back from him.
So you have nothing to lose.

[Twilight]

I was a member of the Exceller Fund when the lady from Highcliff Farm tracked down Thunder Regent. She really was delighted to reconnect with him, and I believe they ended up retiring him at Highcliff. It was pretty exciting to be a very small part of that.

I’d love to hear from anyone who ever worked for or knows Carol Thompson and her husband. The barn where I used to ride had a horse “Fairly Smart” that they had bred. He was wonderful.

Also, if anyone knows James & Susan Doukas of Maryland, they were Twilight’s breeders - though her registered name is There She Was.

[Flypony]

People love to know their horses have great homes, don’t be afraid to contact them. Along the same lines… I horse I trained two years ago just won a championship in a hunter show I was thrilled to hear about it

[SabinoPonyLover]

While I would love to have pictures of my mare, I don’t think I’ll be contacting the breeders. I think the Stronach’s have so many horses a year they probably don’t even remember who she is.

[VCT]

Thanks Sing Mia Song!
I followed your directions and got the pedigree. I’ll PT you if I can’t find the breeder after a little investigation.
Thanks,

[Linny]

Marsha Naify (don’t know if it’s widow or daughter) is still active in California. I don’t have info but I bet she could be “googled.”

[Linny]

Twilight, I’m friends with Suzie and she was ECSTATIC over Regent! She adores horses and she’d love to hear that any of “her” babies are being ridden or shown or just given a happy home.

[mrd]

I wondered that too, and years ago, before I bred my OTTB mare, I sent a letter to her breeder. I just wanted some basic information - anything she could remember. I felt that a letter would keep me from having to hear the phone slammed down, plus I included a photo of her in her comfy life. I included all of my contact information and I actually received a call back (of course while I was not available). I called her back and we had a two hour conversation. Not only did she remember the breeding, but she still had her dam at 30 yr old. Much of what she told me of the dam and how she raises her youngsters I see in my mare. It was nice to know what kind of producer she was, etc. I also think she was genuinely happy to know the mare was well loved.

[FLAbreds]

As a small time breeder I would most definately like to know where our homebreds end up. Reason being is that I’ve been on the other side of the fence when tracking down owners on OTTBs we took in and I either got full cooperation (sent papers and a nice note) or complete refusal to even talk to me. And after I got a hold of the former trainer of that particular OTTB (it was a filly) they told me that the owners refused to talk to me because they knew I’d ask for the papers and they were afraid I’d race the horse again. Understandable but these same people were ready to ship the horse to slaughter so what would they care what I did with her?!

[Bacchus]

I contacted Jefe’s breeder, and she responded positively. Said he looks just like his mother
Thanks for the inspiration.

[btilton]

Every breeder is different. In the race world in paticular, there is a LOT more people to whom its a business, not loving breathing animals. To many, as far as they are concerned that horse is a closed file, and either made them money or didn’t.

But many do care also, and some are just kind, so I would never discourage the attempt to contact, but I would do so in a letter or email, so that if they are not interested, they have the option of not responding. I mistakenly called a breeder here in the Nor Cal area one time and he was quite rude with me, told me he really didn’t remember the horse, he had far too many every year.

B

[ejm]

I found some information on her address and sent you a PT.

A lot of breeders do care, and from what I know of Mrs. Whitham’s program, it is small enough that she probably has a personal interest in all of her horses. We are very small breeders and would LOVE to know where our horses end up, and offer them a retirement home if needed.

[moonriverfarm]

I have two OTTBs. One was bred in Ocala and one in NJ. I tried several times to contact someone at the Ocala farm and never got any response. He’s very well bred but never broke the gate, and i figured either he was so forgettable for them that they didnt remember him, or they are too big-time to reply. The other side of that coin is the NJ bred horse. I had to do tattoo reserach to get his name, and then more research to find his breeder, Diane Boykin. I emailed her and she was very gracious in her response. She rememberes littlw quirks about him as a baby. She had sold him as a yearling, gave me the name of the people who bought him, and I then got in contact with them. Turns out they live in my state (AL) and helped me piece together the rest of the puzzle. Everyone I contacted about him rememered him and was glad to hear he has ended up in a great situation.

Because of a post here I was able to contact the track photographer where he had raced and was able to get some great workout photos of him from 2000. Persistance pays off, but some breeders just don’t have the time or the interest to reply. It is always worth a shot though!

[mortly]

Originally posted by CrazyDog:
mortly,

Does your OTTB have Good Old Mort somewhere in his pedigree? I’m curiou because of your Chronicle name and also because I leased a Good Old Mort gelding who is now 26 and still showing in the hunters.

Nope, my nickname is Mortly!!

I’ve also sent off my letter and a couple pictures to Mrs. Whitham so we’ll see what happens!!

[mortly]

Oh Good!! When I looked up my horse’s pedigree he was 1 of 10 foals out of the same dam. Most of them say that they are owned or bred by Mrs. Whitham. I just thought with that kind of history with his dam, she might be curious where he ended up.

So, does anyone know if Mrs. Whitham has a farm name that I can at least try to track down an address? I will most definately send a letter - I’m way too shy to pick up the phone and call someone like that!!

[FairWeather]

and I’ve been tempted to contact her (not really sure how though!) and let her know where he is and that he’s happy

Depends really–
Most people love to hear, some people give you a smile and a nod and go about their business.

The horse I got from New Holland was bred by someone at Charles Town (and got me going with CANTER actually). I braved what i thought would be wrath and tracked down his owners and gave them a ringy-ding. They cryed when i told them where I picked him up.
Fast forward 5 years, and they now consider me their adopted grandchild (they have no children) and I have four of their horses.

Go for it, what do you have to lose?

[summerly]

To SabinoPonyLover
I wouldn’t dismiss Stronach that fast…At his beautiful training facility in Ontario he has just completed a show barn, totally gorgeous, complete with indoor and lounge, where he has many of his retired horses and has employed a trainer and such to retrain his Adena horses for a future in showing and life after the track…

[system]

As an owner of several OTTB’s, I’ve spent many hours researching their breeders, and after I’ve sold them on to new homes, keeping in touch with their new “parents.” I’ve met no one who didn’t want to help, even if I was on the wrong path when researching.

As for owners of the horses still at the track that need new homes, many care about where they end up and work hand in hand with organizations like CANTER and New Beginnings to do their best in sending them into new careers and loving homes.

I live in GA, and ride at a farm called Bits and Bytes. Elizabeth and Barry have great relationships with lots of trainers all over the US, and buy, retrain, and place their ex-racers into great homes. Many of the horses are owned still by their breeders or original trainers. Elizabeth has a webpage for every horse she sells, and provides “Success Stories” about all of the kids in their new homes on the farm website, www.bitsandbytesfarm.com .

I travelled with them last weekend to pick up my new horse, and met his trainer/owner, and also several others whose horses we picked up–all had tears in their eyes as we loaded up and drove away with their babies. Not everyone in the business is like this, but there are definitely owners out there who want to keep tabs on their horses.

[EponaRoan]

Janis Whitham

Bayakoa’s ‘mom’? I don’t know her personally, but she strikes me as a person who would care. As someone suggested, write a letter rather than attempting a phone call.

[spookhorse]

I just want to say that I know Marilyn Greene here in KY has been known to track down her babies and buy them back if ned be or help find them homes! She’s small breeder and loves them so much it’s hard for her to part with them in the first place. She used to be from Louisiana so if you get a breeder of that name but listed in LA, it’s probably her.

I work part time for Shelley Sutherland- Woodruff/Ledgelands farm and I know she would be happy to hear about hers

I tracked down my first OTTB’s breeder finally after his death and they were very happy to know that he had a loving home for the last years of his life despite his abuse prior to me getting him. The big farms won’t get it, but the small time breeders will love it 9 times out of 10!