Taking the “After” out of “Aftercare”

Where did the term “aftercare” come from and what does it truly mean to the Thoroughbred industry? In recent years, the discussion surrounding aftercare has evolved, and with it, the realization that aftercare may no longer be the best term to describe that facet of the industry.

Per Webster’s dictionary, aftercare is “the care, treatment, help, or supervision given to persons discharged from an institution (such as a hospital)”. The pervasive belief that aftercare is separate from the rest of the Thoroughbred industry, rooted in charity, and voluntary to support (or consider) corresponds well to this definition. And that is a problem.

At BTE Stables, we work to take the “after” out of “aftercare”. Regardless of the way we were involved in a horse’s life or career, we are committed to being part of the team that guarantees that horse safety and security for life. What that may look like varies from horse to horse based on needs and circumstances, but the guiding principle remains the same. All choices are made in the best long-term interest of the horse.

The dynamics and structure of the Thoroughbred industry, with public sales and claiming races, can make it difficult to be confident in outcomes for horses. Even though it can be complicated to balance with the business and financial aspects of BTE Stables, the best interests of the horses will always be the primary factor in all decisions. This is a decision we have made because it is the right thing to do, and because we feel the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term sacrifices, both for our farm and the industry as a whole.

As discussed in O'Keefe: From Our Mims to Mims Eppi, How Long Can The Thoroughbred Industry Survive Itself?, there are steps that sales companies could take to give sellers more confidence in engaging in sales. Until that happens, we will make every effort to safeguard our horses from uncertain futures. If we do not believe a horse will sell for a price that will keep them in the mainland US (or Canada or other countries with traceability and aftercare structures), we will not offer them at public sale. This is the reason we chose to race homebred ConspiracTherapist. His dam was purchased in foal with him, and we knew a third crop American Freedom would be difficult to sell. If we reached a point where we didn’t think he would have success as a racehorse, we knew he was athletic enough to find success elsewhere and would have been happy to see him thrive in any career. So far, he has rewarded our patience and commitment with a win first out! As exciting as that is it was worth keeping him to know he would be given a fair shot. Being able to have a plan for his second career is great and does nothing to detract from his first or limit his opportunities for success.

But sometimes, our plans don’t go as anticipated. When we entered our Gormely colt in the 2023 Fasig Tipton October Sale, we knew he would be overlooked by many for his sire. But “Barry” had a huge walk and a strong physical, and we were optimistic he would attract enough attention and if he didn’t, we would take him home and try to sell him privately. Over several days of showing, he received many second (and even third) looks from Kentucky based owners and trainers, who we would have been thrilled to see him go to. When the hammer fell for $15,000, I was very happy with the price, thinking he would be going to a good home. When my partner returned from the ring, my heart fell when I heard he had been purchased by Panama. That big walk had caught their eye in the back ring, and they had outbid the Kentucky buyers. The underbidder came back to the barn to confirm he had actually sold, and express that they wished they could have purchased him and may attempt to purchase him privately from the buyer. While we had some hope, I reached out to individuals involved in aftercare to see what the situation was in Panama for retiring horses, as well as to see if anyone had contacts there we would be able to work with. I was told there was nothing. No formal aftercare structure, no tracking, no contacts from my connections. And then we heard that the underbidders offer had been rejected. The clock was ticking, “Barry” was bound for Panama. And once he got there, it would be nearly impossible to track him and expensive to bring him back for retirement.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so we reached out to the buyers to see if they would be willing to sell him back to us before he got to Panama. They rejected our initial offer and countered. After several frantic days, for a price twice what he sold through the ring for, Barry came home. He’d made it to quarantine in Miami, but we were able to purchase him back before he left. Thankfully, the underbidders were still interested in purchasing him, and once he came back to BTE Stables we finalized sale to his new connections. Now named Dismiss, he is breezing in Kentucky at The Thoroughbred Training Center.

No matter what he did racing in Panama, it wouldn’t have mattered for his dam’s produce history. Bringing him back allows him to have the chance to reflect positively on her, as well as his future half siblings. But those financial justifications were secondary to the ultimate priority, which was keeping him safe and trackable. I hope that one day (soon) sales companies with enact stricter buying qualifications than merely establishing credit and will allow sellers to declare a horse “unsellable” to areas without sufficient aftercare and traceability. Until then, BTE Stables will continue to work to set our horses up for success, on the track and beyond.

Whatever the level and route of involvement, every Thoroughbred is touched by many people. From breeders, to consignors, to trainers and jockeys, countless people have built their livelihood on these horses. Each one of those individuals and entities needs to be part of the team that supports the horse for life. It’s not just the duty of a breeder to take every horse back, or a consignor to rescue a horse they sold. It is on each person to make decisions for the good of the horse when it is their responsibility to do so and be willing to assist when needed after that point. If a breeder has space to provide a soft landing, that’s great. But a van ride to retirement, or donation to the aftercare facility retraining the horse are also impactful. The last race connections may be the ones deciding when and how to retire a horse, but the previous owners can similarly contribute to safe retirement. We will always be a part of the team behind our horses, in whatever way we are able. That is BTE Stables’ commitment to these horses and this industry.