Busto, who got involved in racing as a result of acquiring an ex-racehorse five years ago, said she hoped to encourage other owners to follow suit. "People don't realize that these highly trained athletes can later excel in second careers as hunters, jumpers, dressage, or trail riding prospects -- you name it."
ReRun Inc., the national non-profit Thoroughbred adoption group, is launching its new program "Running for ReRun" at Saratoga Race Course July 30. "Running for ReRun" allows a horse owner to donate a portion of the horse's earnings to the ReRun program.The first horse signed up for the program is Cooking the Books, owned by ReRun's vice-president Felice Busto's Sea Horse NJ Stables. Cooking the Books, a 3-year-old New York-bred trained by Barclay Tagg, will donate a percentage of earnings from his race to ReRun. Jockey Richard Migliore will wear the ReRun name on his pants during the race to raise awareness for the program. The names of horses and owners who participate and donate a portion of their earnings from a race will be posted on ReRun's Web site and recognized periodically in major racing publications. ReRun promotes Thoroughbreds as a versatile breed and has found a niche in matching racehorses' temperaments, talents, and physical capabilities with prospective adopters. The organization, founded in Kentucky in 1998, has chapters in New York, Virginia, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Illinois. ReRun's executive director, Laurie Condurso Lane, said, "We hope other owners will support this effort by donating a portion of their earnings to ReRun." Lane added, "It can take months to transition a racehorse from the track to a new home and, during that time ReRun pays board, veterinary, and other expenses. ReRun operates primarily with volunteers, while fundraising and donations enable us to offer these important adoption services."