Thoroughbred Charities of America and the Retired Racehorse Project have scheduled a TCA Thoroughbred Marketplace for Oct. 4-5 at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.
The event is being held in conjunction with RRP's second annual "Thoroughbred Makeover," which brings together farms, organizations, and individuals who transition racehorses into second careers. The weekend includes educational seminars, demonstrations, and the "America's Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest."
"The bridges to second careers for these horses include non-profit placement organizations, professional trainers, amateur trainers, and direct sales from racing owners and breeders," RRP founder Steuart Pittman said in a release. "This marketplace invites participation from all of these and will attract a large pool of horse shoppers. If it succeeds we have created a model worth replicating."
Each horse will be listed in an online and printed catalog with video links and photographs. Upon arrival at Pimlico, each will be observed by a veterinarian whose notes will be posted online for potential buyers and adopters to consider. Blemishes, body condition score, and lameness will be noted. Educational materials will also be available to educate buyers and adopters about the relevance of various injuries and blemishes.
"We are proud to support the efforts of the Retired Racehorse Project and assist in the re-homing of former racehorses via the TCA Thoroughbred Marketplace," TCA president Dan Rosenberg said in a statement.
"Effective marketing of these horses must include some transparency about their condition. The more information we provide up front, the more shoppers and adopters we will attract. We believe that it is a good thing to reward racing owners financially for retiring their horses sound. The market value of a sound Thoroughbred ex-racehorse has declined, but by increasing demand and raising that value we offer owners an alternative to running at the lowest claiming prices."
Each horse will appear on Saturday in the main arena on the track to demonstrate either its skills or potential. None will be auctioned, and neither TCA, RRP, nor the Maryland Jockey Club will be a party to any transactions that take place privately during or after the event.
More information about participation in the TCA Thoroughbred Marketplace and the Thoroughbred Makeover is available at RetiredRacehorseProject.org.
