Letter to the Editor: There Comes a Time

[Wandering Eyes]

There are moments in every great industry where legacy is forged not in silence, but through bold, decisive action. As we approach the 2025 Keeneland September Sale, this is one of those moments.

In last week's Thoroughbred Daily News, two pieces struck a deep and unsettling chord: the Thoroughbred Rescue Alliance's open letter titled “When Does a Thoroughbred Earn a Safe Retirement?” (Aug. 25), and Pat Cummings's “Aftercare Not Meeting The Need” (Aug. 28).

As an industry of excellence, prestige, and tradition, these letters were hard to read–not because they're wrong, but because they reveal a truth we can no longer ignore. The dichotomy of which is not just heartbreaking-it's destructive. To the public eye, it makes racing appear out of step, out of touch, and out of time. We have been here before. We've recognized the need, and we've responded with integrity-creating organizations like the TAA, TRF, and TCA, all of which have done extraordinary work thanks to the vision of early leaders.

But as Mr. Cummings rightly points out, the scale and speed of today's challenges are eclipsing yesterday's solutions.

It is time to lead, and it is time to raise the standard. Aftercare is not a charitable cause–it is a moral and professional responsibility. The horses we breed, train, and race are not disposable assets. They are the foundation of everything we stand for. If we neglect them, we diminish not only our credibility, but the legacy of an entire sport.

This industry has always stood for excellence. From historic bloodlines to iconic tracks, we've been custodians of something greater than ourselves. That's what draws people to racing-not just the sport, but the significance of being part of something lasting.

But here's the truth: No matter how strong the bloodline or how prestigious the sale, if we can't ensure a safe, and dignified path for the horses after the finish line, everything we build will crumble under the weight of public distrust and internal disillusionment. We are no longer just managing optics. We are facing a reckoning.

Aftercare is not a charitable side note. It is a responsibility.

This Is a Call Not Just to Act, but to Lead

Would representatives of The Jockey Club, TOBA, Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton and OBS, Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, NYRA, 1/ST Racing and other racetrack owners consider coming together on any given day between September 7-10 at Keeneland, to use your influence to be the nucleus of a bold, coordinated, national framework for aftercare–a system that doesn't just react to crises but prevents them?

Let's be crystal clear: without a responsible, structured approach to aftercare, this industry will not survive. But more than that-it will not deserve to.

It's time to build something worthy of the animals who give us everything-and the sport we claim to cherish.

We are at an inflection point.

History will remember, this era as the generation who rose to protect the soul of racing? Or the one that let it fall–FROM KINGS, TO KILL PENS?

What we choose will be our legacy, that choice lies with us, and the institutions who define our sport listed above.

The time to lead is now.

 

Suzi Prichard-Jones is an owner/breeder and the founder of the Byerley & Godolphin Conservation Project.

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