This past Monday night, hosted their annual fundraiser at on Baxter Avenue. While the weather might have been absolutely horrid, it didn’t stop people from coming out to raise money and celebrate the upcoming derby for a good cause - finding homes for retired racers.
Second Stride, located in Prospect, KY, helps racehorses that are ready for retirement to find homes. That doesn’t just mean someone’s ranch, however, as they get to know each horse in order to determine what the best place for their golden years would be. Some go on to be trail horses, some go to riding stables, and others that might have issues just get to live on a pasture. Second Stride is an organization that cares about each of the over 600 horses they’ve found homes for, and it showed with every person I spoke to.
One of the major sources of funds for Second Stride comes from purses won through racing, with several racing groups donating a percentage of each purse they earn. Harvey Diamond, race manager for Skychai racing, had nothing but good things to say about Second Stride. “They do a spectacular job. I always know where my horses are going, and where they’ve been. I like to keep track of them,” he said.
Diamond’s partner, Jimmy Shircliff, spoke to the ethics of racing horses when he gave me his thoughts on the event; “the people who benefit from these horses are responsible for their well-being once they’re off the track as well,” he said. “It’s just good karma to make sure you give back to these animals when they’ve given to you.”
All in all, Second Stride earned over $18,000 on Monday night, all going to a great cause. The crowd seemed to be having a blast, and I was thrilled to be able to be a part of their celebration this year.
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