BY JOCKEY CLUB NEW SERVICE (Edited)
The 2026 Thoroughbred owner conference series continued with its sixth panel on August 25, emphasizing the importance of proactive retirement planning, increased funding for aftercare and industrywide responsibility.
The webinar was hosted by Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. The panel featured Stacie Clark, operations consultant for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance; Billy Koch, managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing and president of CARMA; Jeff Lowe, president and general manager of West Point Thoroughbreds; trainer Graham Motion, and Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.
The conference was hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland and Dean Dorton Equine. This panel was sponsored by Sackatoga Stable and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.
Panelists agreed that the Thoroughbred industry has made significant strides in aftercare over the past two decades but noted that additional progress is needed, particularly in funding, education and ensuring owners have a retirement plan for every horse.
“We need to make it a priority that any owner that comes into the business and owns a horse has a plan for their aftercare,” Koch said.
“I absolutely think we deserve a pat on the back. It’s been an industry initiative for a long time,” Clark said. “Really getting together as an industry and creating the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and working together with those other entities has really been our plus.”
The panelists also discussed the expanding network of accredited aftercare, retraining, rehabilitation, sanctuary, and placement programs available to owners. Clark explained that the TAA accredits organizations across North America through a rigorous review process that evaluates governance, financial practices, horse care, and facility standards. The organization distributed more than $4.5 million to accredited organizations in 2025 and expects to support even more facilities in 2026.
Owners Dean and Patty Reeves have become increasingly focused on tracking and planning for the post-racing careers of their horses.
“We’ve got to do a better job ourselves,” Reeves said. “We’re starting to implement something like that and reach out to Stacie to help us better spot where these horses should go.”
Panelists stressed that retirement decisions should be made on an individual basis, considering a horse’s soundness, age, competitiveness and long-term welfare. Motion noted that trainers play a critical role in advising owners when it is time to pursue a second career.
“Training horses is a privilege,” Motion said. “We owe it to the horses that give us so much to make sure they’re taken care of when they leave our stable.”
The conversation also highlighted success stories involving retired racehorses that have excelled in second careers, including eventing, show jumping, therapy programs, recreational riding, and participation in the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. Panelists agreed that increasing public awareness of these success stories can help demonstrate the industry’s commitment to lifelong horse welfare.
Lowe noted that aftercare has become a core value within West Point Thoroughbreds and that owners increasingly want to see former runners thrive after racing.
“It’s a pillar of our organization. It’s a responsibility as far as our emphasis, and the partners are aligned with that. They are very much interested in and supportive of making sure the horse that they campaigned has a good life,” Lowe said.
A recurring theme was the need for greater financial support for aftercare organizations and retirement programs.
“I think the horse should have part of the purse,” Clark said. “The jock gets part, the owner gets part, the trainer gets part, the horse doesn’t have a guarantee.”
“I know for a fact that sales companies, racetracks, they’re all starting to contribute. They didn’t always do it, but I think it should be mandatory,” Koch said. “I think we just need to continue harping on just how important this is, get our message out there, and find new ways to fund these programs.”
The replay of Tuesday’s Thoroughbred Owner Conference panel is available at bit.ly/OVVideos.
Three additional Thoroughbred Owner Conference virtual panels are scheduled for 2026. The next session, “Jockeys – Adjusting to new HISA Rules,” will be held September 15 at 2 p.m. ET. A full schedule can be found here: bit.ly/OVSchedule.
There is no registration fee for the 2026 virtual conference series, but registration is required. For more information about the owner conference series, please visit ownerview.com/event/conference or contact Gary Falter at 859.224.2803 or gfalter@jockeyclub.com.
Return to the August 27 issue of Wire to Wire
