Partnerships secure a sound retirement for Midwest racehorse Korbyn Gold
By Susan Pratt
Korbyn Gold, a 2001 Kentucky-bred, grey-gelding out of Pucker Lips by Pass the Tab, is the kind of horse any horseman would want in his stable. Earning more than $550,000 in his career, Korbyn was a racehorse that did his job, and he did it well. Korbyn raced at 15 tracks during his career, including Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Aqueduct and two Indiana racetracks.Korbyn’s record includes 22 firsts and 11 seconds out of 66 starts.
Korbyn’s post-track story is the result of a long-standing partnership between his owner and trainer, Exceller Fund and Friends of Ferdinand—all who are dedicated to the well-being of race horses like Korbynpost career.
In 2010, after eight successful years racing, Korbyn’s trainer Dale Huber from Indiana and his Owner Burt Ewing recognized it was time to let this extraordinary horse leave the track and start a new career. They worked with Friends of Ferdinand to secure Korbyn Gold a place in the non-profit Indiana-based, all-volunteer adoption program. Friends of Ferdinand transitions horses to new careers through re-training and re-homing via these adoptions. Lee Ann Zobe, a Friends of Ferdinand foster care giver and owner of Come Again Farms in Sheridan, Indiana, began his re-training; however, it didn’t take long to realize that Korbyn was not sound enough to have a second career as a riding horse. He gave everything to racing, and the re-training team agreed he needed a true retirement.
Exceller Fund, a national thoroughbred retirement organization based in Kentucky, launched a new Racing Warrior program to help horses such as Korbyn. This program is specifically for long-term care of the horse that has “charged out of the gates hundreds of times, thrilled countless people, did their job, sometimes winning, sometimes not, but always creating the excitement of horse racing.” Korbyn Gold is a Racing Warrior easily earning a place in this program. This fall Korbyn will return to his birthplace in Kentucky to officially retire.
In return, Friends of Ferdinand will open its barn doors to Good and Game, an Exceller Fund thoroughbred gelding that is ready to become an athlete in a second career and will benefit from FFI’s established adoption program.
To support racehorses post-track careers
Friends of Ferdinand’s fundraiser Rockin’ the Racehorse is Sept. 30, 2011 at the Palomino Ballroom in Westfield, Indiana. This event is held as fund raiser for the Friends of Ferdinand “One More Horse” campaign that financially supports the horses and horsemen of Indiana closing the 2011 thoroughbred racing season.
To support Friends of Ferdinand transition racehorses into second careers, please visit www.friendsofferdinand.comor www.rocktheracehorse.comto make a donation.
To support the Racing Warriors of the Exceller Fund please visit www.excellerfund.org.
Korbyn Gold
PHOTO CREDIT: Compliments of Friends of Ferdinand