Off Track

We know that not every horse was meant to be a champion on the track. But sometimes you find a Thoroughbred that is meant to be a champion in another sport. Enter Lainey Ashker, five-star eventing and professional dressage rider, who has plucked two geldings from obscurity and turned them into eventing machines. Anthony Patch (Al) is deathly afraid of cows, and Paddy is allergic to flying changes, but line them up to jump a five foot ditch and their ears go forward and they soar.

From gamblers to exercise riders to former trainer and Hall of Famer Bill Mott, they all have asked or told me their own stories about Ninety One Assault, aka Boo. So, we had to do an episode about him, right? This is his story from gangly young racehorse to Louisiana bred champ to OTTB.

For seven racing seasons we watched the fiery, sometimes cantankerous, chestnut gelding named Whitmore blitz down the racetrack. We all cheered him on as he finally got his Breeder's Cup win in his fourth try at the ripe age of seven. But did you know that when he came to the track as a two year old it took him nearly two months to be able to just canter around the track? He would likely have never gotten to all those winners circles without the horsemanship and guidance of Laura Moquett. Now she is guiding him through his second career off track.

When I began Off Track, I described it as a personal passion project. It is my way of expressing the impact that Thoroughbreds have had on my life and how much they've done for me. This podcast has allowed me to tell so many other people's unique stories with OTTB's that I hope they've inspired others to become involved with former racehorses in one way or another. Though at the end of the day, I was happily sailing this ship solo. But then one day Maddie Hogan jumped on board to manage an "Off Track" Instagram account, without me even knowing her personally. So, it's Maddie's turn to tell her story of Wepner.

Lindy Gutman is living proof that the Off Track Thoroughbred community is one of most supportive, encouraging, and energetic horse communities there are. And why wouldn't she be? When you own a horse like Talk Show Man, who was a rock star on the track and off the track, you make sure he has a fan following.

Their relationship began long before he was born. Having worked with his Dam Unspurned as a yearling, Natalie Voss, vowed to meet her first foal and someday make him hers. And while Underscore's (aka Blueberry) days on the track were relatively unproductive, he is more than making up for it now with Natalie in the show ring.

For Tim Lanahan, the race track has always been a constant. Whether it was going to Saratoga as a fan when he was young, or photographing the stars of the game for the Bloodhorse, he has always been connected in one way or another. But riding is where he found true happiness. Yet finding a horse to become his own, took a Hall of Famer. Enter former jockey Braulio Baeza, whom Tim had hosted at his house for a Saratoga summer, who said one day "I have a horse for you". That horse was war horse Vosges, or affectionally known now as Edward.

Bob Edwards' e Five Racing Thoroughbreds has seen enormous success in only six years with multiple Breeders Cup wins, countless graded stakes victories, and over 10 million in earnings. But the real push to get into the racing business came from daughter Cassidy, who has always loved horses, but her passion for Thoroughbreds goes beyond the track. Her girl Nell Gwyn, aka Gigi, has been her traveling companion, jumper, and teacher since she adopted her.

As the saying goes, home is where the heart is. But for Kelsey Riley, International Editor for the Thoroughbred Daily News, home is where "Morris" is. Kelsey's passion for Thoroughbreds and racing was cultivated at Sovereign Award winning owner and breeder Gus Schickedanz Schonberg Farm, where the first foal that she ever helped bring into the world and later break, was the horse who would go on to be known at the track as Say No More. But that was only the first chapter of their story.

Konni Harrison got the call that no one from the track ever wants to get... "Do you remember Pleasant Italian?" "Yes of course, the 18 hand goofball that used to walk to the track on his hindlegs when I galloped him." "Good, because if you don't get him him, he's likely heading to slaughter" Of course Konni stepped up and rescued "Magnum", but several years later after she suffered a stroke, he would become her protector and rescuer.

From winning a stake in his second start as a maiden to competing at a recognized show after only being off the track for four months, Blindwillie McTell has always been an over achiever. But TDN writer Christie DeBernardis refers to him has the ultimate sweetheart, as she has ensured "Willie" an active second career, much like many other former Linda Rice trainees. And how can you not fall in love with a horse who loves Goldfish and muddy puddles?

Monroe's Music, aka Louie, has life figured out. Despite being beautifully bred, he knew the racetrack wasn't for him. He enjoyed being a hunter for a brief time, but he gave that up for a life of leisure and Swedish Fish. Hear his story from his "mom", Shelly Ferrall, who says she would let him live in the house if he was smaller.

As the old saying goes at the racetrack "you start as a hot walker and you end as a hot walker", and Danielle Montgomery has probably done everything in between. In her current role as the program director of PATHA's Turning for Home, she has found homes and second careers for over 3,200 horses. But one horse found his way to her farm and straight into her heart- Dover Point.

Jazz Napravnik dominated the Retired Racehorse Project. She won the People's Choice award and was crowned the champion in eventing. Of course many people knew of her Pennsylvania bred millionaire, Page McKenney for his merits on the race track, but it was her modest Maryland bred, Legends Hope that stole the show. Listen as Jazz eloquently takes us back through the the RRP experience, as well through her first win as a trainer with her sister Rosie aboard and about all the horses who have taught her an important life lesson: to be authentic.

"Into the Great Wide Open" may be a great rock song but Great Wide Open, aka "Tom" is a rock star of an OTTB (and he was a pretty darn good racehorse too). And even though his now owner and rider Jamie Hernandez is a third generation racetracker, this is her first foray into the world of re-training an ex-racehorse. Hear how their adventure is going as Jamie has her sights set on the Retired Racehorse Project with "Tom".

For Dr. Carleigh Fedorka there is very little left to accomplish in the equestrian world (although in her eyes there is still a laundry list of milestones that need to be checked off). Formerly a breeding stable manager, she has written manuscripts on the reproduction of Thoroughbreds, and has opened her own retraining and sport horse business, Sewickley Stables. But the one thing that had eluded her was taking a horse to to the preliminary level in eventing. Yet the "unassuming", failed sale horse, Dynamaker has changed all of that.

More often than not, things in the world of horse racing come full circle. That couldn’t be more true for Kirsten Fada and Inked. A horse Kirsten was apart of purchasing and naming as a yearling, was claimed away as a three year old and ended up running on the Wyoming fair circuit. Life for Inked did not look particularly promising. But in a twist of fate and thanks to his breeder, Inked found himself one day at a farm in Kentucky staring back into the face of the woman who gave him his name.

Two former stakes winners, plus three OTTB loving women, plus wine and cheese, equals adult pony club. At least that is what Alysse dubbed it. Hear how Bertle kicked Brittney when they first met, Alysse's spot on impressions of Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher, how the name Notacatbutallama came to be, and so much more.

Remember watching the 2019 Preakness when Bodexpress dropped John Velazquez at the start and ran lose wreaking havoc on the track? And then the valiant catch by the female outrider? That was the mighty talented horsewoman Kaymarie Kreidel, who uses all OTTB's as her outriding mounts, but the horse who stole her heart was the high flying Trey Bear.

He's a State Farm agent by day and an OTTB saviuor by.... well, all of the time. Meet Ben Samrick of NorCal OTTB and his "ride or die" mare, Hey Maria.

He was out of her Thoroughbred show horse, foaled on their small Long Island farm, and broke by her in their backyard. Then he won a race in Saratoga. But from day one Sue vowed to take care of Forecast for his entire life, and every horse that came after him.

He likes Pop Tarts and Sour Patch Kids. He loves long walks on the beach and has a strong aversion to ground poles. And for a night on the town, be prepared to do cheap shots and sing pop punk songs on karaoke (using anthropomorphism here). Sounds like your kind of horse? Well for Jessica Paquette he is absolutely perfect. This is the story of What a Trippi off track.

Although her father, Daniel Conway, is a trainer, Katie Conway was in no way an experienced rider when she decided to give her stable favorite, Regal Slam, a career off the track. The leap of faith created an unbreakable bond between woman and horse, and instilled in Katie a passion for OTTB's.

What do you do when a horse makes you a millionare with one win? You claim them of course. Or at least that is what Michael Beychok did after Glorious Dancer got up by a nose and won him the National Handicapping Challenge, a million dollars, and an Eclipse award. Hear how he paid it back to her and continues to strive to make the game better and safer for its equine athletes.

He went from running third in the 2008 Preakness to being corwned the first America;s Most Wanted Thoroughbred in 2014. Campaigned for six seasons on the track by Graham Motion with eranings close to $600K, he then went on the a second career with dual gold Olympian and event rider Phillip Dutton. And he has a fan club. This is the story of Icabad Crane off track.

It was love at first ride. Old Ironsides, aka "Sugar", and Rosie have done it all together- from winning races, to competing in eventing, to ponying her husband Joe Sharp's racehorses at the track. Sugar is so cool he even has his own Breyer model. This is his life off track.