Notable Frosty . . . . a very happy ending

[Tairaterces]

Courtesy of T-Times:

Stakes winner saved from slaughter, returned to birthplace

Notable Frosty will spend the rest of his life at Golden Hawk Farm

After Notably Frosty passed through the hands of more than a half-dozen owners since 2003, the striking gray gelding finally earned a trip home when he caught the eye of Kelly Young at the New Holland Sales Stables on April 3.

Young regularly has attended the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, sale for the past 13 years and frequently sees Thoroughbreds purchased for slaughter. Her not-for-profit organization generally has enough money to buy one horse a week. Although she did not know the name or racing accomplishments of the gray gelding in the ring on April 3, she entered the bidding.

"I felt an immediate connection to him when he walked into the ring," said Young, director of Lost and Found Horse Rescue Foundation in York, Pennsylvania. "It was just me and the meat man bidding, and I knew I was supposed to have this horse. I had no idea who he was. He had a ton of presence about him, and I knew he didn't deserve this fate."

Young soon learned the horse's name: Notably Frosty, a ten-year-old Alaskan Frost gelding who won two stakes races and $401,896 in a seven-season career. Thanks to Young's winning $525 bid, the gelding is headed for retirement at his breeders' Ocala farm instead of a slaughterhouse.

Notably Frosty's papers came with him, so Young contacted Chris Heyde of the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington, D.C., and Heyde looked up the gelding's history. Young soon was able to find Notably Frosty's breeders, Patti and Arthur "Hawk" Hawkesworth Jr.

The Ocala couple sold Notably Frosty privately for $88,000 in 2001 after he made 20 starts and earned $95,320 for them and Don Ferland. Notably Frosty won the $40,000 Park Heights Claiming Stakes later that year at Pimlico Race Course and the $40,000 HBPA Jefferson County Stakes at Charles Town Races in 2002 for owner-trainer John Alecci.

Notably Frosty was claimed for $40,000 on May 15, 2003, at Pimlico, and the then-seven-year-old gradually descended the claiming ranks. No doubt slowing down after more than 50 career starts, he still proved popular at the claims box, changing hands eight more times.

The Hawkesworths kept track of Notably Frosty's career, but he fell off their radar screen sometime after he finished second in a $4,000 claiming race at Charles Town on October 13 for owner-trainer Donald Poper in the final start of his career.

Ecstatic to hear their horse had been saved, the Hawkesworths agreed to let him live at their Golden Hawk Farm. Patti Hawkesworth cried when Young told her about finding the gelding.

"When he was a baby, he was the only colt we had that year," Patti Hawkesworth said. "He grew up in a field by himself, and he used to play with my dog and play with the tractor. I want to find a way to get him back in the same paddock he grew up in. This is the greatest story in the world."

A self-described backyard breeder, Arthur Hawkesworth Jr. bred multiple stakes winner and 1984 Kentucky Derby (G1) starter Rexson's Hope. The couple has 19 horses at Golden Hawk. Three of those 19 are retirees, including Cruise the Sea, a 1982 Cruise On In horse who suffered a fractured sesamoid during a race in his juvenile season where he led eventual Florida Derby (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Proud Truth.

After a brief attempt at a career as a stallion, Cruise the Sea has been living with the Hawkesworths since 1984. "He still likes to run or limp around out there," Arthur Hawkesworth said.

"Frosty was good to us," he continued, before his wife completed the thought, "and now we're going to be good to him. It's as simple as that."--Pete Denk

[Heidilady]

That's sooo amazing. Those breeders tried to keep track of him too. Those are good people.

See what I'd do if I had a racehorse is do something like 'run for ReRun' or whatever where some of the proceeds go to help rescue horses. Ya gotta try to give back. I can't buy them all but I can pitch in.

[BJ]

From the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU Patti & Arthur Hawkesworth! THANK YOU Kelly Young!

CREAM ALWAYS RISES TO THE TOP!

[BJ]

That's sooo amazing. Those breeders tried to keep track of him too. Those are good people.

See what I'd do if I had a racehorse is do something like 'run for ReRun' or whatever where some of the proceeds go to help rescue horses. Ya gotta try to give back. I can't buy them all but I can pitch in.

This is WHY, whenever you see a horse getting that close to the bottom of the claiming ranks and/or in the barn of trainers of "questionable repute", you need to call the trainer and let them know you are out there, ready to take the horse home, the minute it is no longer "useful" and is in need of a home. You really can't afford to "wait" and "hope". Notably Frosty was one of the very few "blessed ones".

Another interesting example of some of the low-lifes in this business...

A graded stakes placed gelding, trained by a really well known trainer, that earned $120,600 in 9 starts, WAS REPORTED AS DIED to the Jockey Club by a well known(very wealthy) breeder/owner...Problem is, it just so happens this gelding was also plucked out of a killpen by a rescue group and is very much alive.

Hmmm...reported as "died"...Do you think they "knew" and "intended" what would happen to that horse had he not been saved? This is also not the first time "these people" have done this. They are "highly respected" and "highly celebrated" people in the industry. Gag me!

[mightyhijames]

re-run came up with the idea of printing labels to stick on registration papers that read (paraphrase) 'if this horse is ever in need of a home, please contact .............................'. this is such an easy fix that could save a life. anyone can customize and print their own.

[wilf]

Well done Kelly ......great save! I have been to New Holland and its not just the T Breds that get the short end of the stick!

[kezeli]

Could the owners that reported a horse that had "died", could that be the same that were reciently given an award?? :evil:

[summerhorse]

That is not uncommon at all, at least they were reporting it. I'm sure they had no idea that someone would rescue that horse. Unforunately most breeders don't try to keep track of them and for the ones that do the JC makes it pretty hard by not keeping track of owners (and requiring this).

You know if the JC and the tracks made it a rule that a horse had to be reported as available on a website for a time and what auction or feedlot it was headed for people could intercept them. Breeders could find them (they could have a stable alert the way they do now for workouts). EVERYone has to pitch in, a few devoted horse lovers is not enough and if people just toss horses away when they are done how can a breeder or former owner track the animal down? if everybody did a little bit it wouldn't be hard but to expect a few poor people and a few of (richer but still only a few) the bigger/breeders owners to do it ALL is unfair and unrealistic.

If people knew they wouldn't get stall space if their horses weren't given at least a chance for a new home you bet they'd be listing them and contacting owners/breeders/rescue groups.

If I bred or even just sold horses I would def. put a sticker on the papers saying to contact me or a rescue group (in case I had died) before sending the horse to auction. But of course there are still going to be those shady people who take a horse to give it a good home and immediately ship it out to a sale.

ONLY by banning slaughter can we make this practice a thing of the past. As long as there is easy money to be made people will continue this practice.

At least this horse had a happy ending, but what about the others there? This person could only afford one horse a week, if some of these people making big bucks off breeding and selling and racing these horses would contribute MEANINGFUL amounts they could save hundreds more. If I had the money I would give as many of these groups endowments as I could.

[BJ]

re-run came up with the idea of printing labels to stick on registration papers that read (paraphrase) 'if this horse is ever in need of a home, please contact .............................'. this is such an easy fix that could save a life. anyone can customize and print their own.

ABSOLUTELY! But it should be a special red inked hologram or seal, that cannot be removed and is part of the registration. It can be INCLUDED in the form to REGISTER any foal, or put on afterwards by any subsequent owner.

It just requires educating the owners/trainers and REQUIRING any horse with a tattoo to have his papers physically with the horse before ever being sold at any kind of auction. It won't save all of them, because there will always be many owners/breeders that use the killpens as their personal dumping grounds, BUT it will give those who do care the opportunity to have SOME control over the fate of those horses.

No excuses whatsoever, why it cannot be put in place. There should also be severe industry and criminal penaties for those that try to circumvent such requests.

The government protects swallows, and the environment is jam packed with them! You can't even save one that fell from a nest, without breaking the law, if you don't immediately contact a "licensed wildlife rescue". You haven't lived until you are threatened with being arrested because you cared for a swallow that fell out of a nest and the nest was too high (and really couldn't be pinpointed from the hundreds of them) to put him back. We live in a very strange world!

[O'Leary]

re-run came up with the idea of printing labels to stick on registration papers that read (paraphrase) 'if this horse is ever in need of a home, please contact .............................'. this is such an easy fix that could save a life. anyone can customize and print their own.

Will the JC allow such stickers to go on registrations papers?....My first yearling is going to the sale in Sept, and I'm a backyard breeder too, with only one mare and I'd take this yearling back in a heartbeat if she didn't make it on the track or was injured. I'll type up a letter and make sure it goes with the papers at the sale, but who's to say if she winds up running in claiming races if it'll stay with the papers. All I can do is keep her in my stablemail and try to keep track of her by word of mouth. I figure with just one yearling a year out there I can make the attempt as it's breeders to make sure life goes as good for it as possible. One thing I plan on doing is if she does fall into the small time claiming races, is to claim her back and bring her home for a riding horse. If I didn't have so much in her and she had to sale as my first yearling, I'd keep her for my daughter to show in the hunters. She's that nice. Time will tell, but I think this horse will be apart of my daughter's and my life later on down the road.

[Derring]

Thank you for bringing that story to the forum. It's good to see a positive once in a while.

[reenci]

i think as a breeder all you have to do...and its free..is keep track of the horses when they run...via "stable watch" at DRF.COM....at least tells you where there running and when. nice when your in the NYBRED program.
ps:also keeps track of work outs.....so if you dont see any and the horse is not running....somthings up.............let your consience be your guide

[BJ]

i think as a breeder all you have to do...and its free..is keep track of the horses when they run...via "stable watch" at DRF.COM....at least tells you where there running and when. nice when your in the NYBRED program.

What about the trainers and owners that put 'em on the meat truck after a race? You are aware, aren't you, that those meat dealers and their on-track "fronts" hang out just waiting to pounce on trainers who have to get rid of horses taking up space in their barns?

Unfortunately, the fact is, much more than just stable mail is needed to keep horses safe. More often than not, there is precious little time to intervene if you haven't contacted the trainer and/or new owner, to let them know you are there in a second to take the horse home, when it can no longer perform.

Ask Marli about Boo Yeah and Skip's Fury (and uncountable others) and how fast and futile it gets once they are in the killpen and the dealer wants to move them out.

That is why so many things need to be put in place, to keep horses from falling through the cracks. If those that would help, had a way to KNOW their horse was in danger, that would free up so many resources to help the ones that are deliberately dumped into the killpens by wealthy breeders and owners who couldn't care less about what happens to the horses they breed. Their fate is left to the kindness of strangers.

[reenci]

have to agree with you... more needs to be done ...some sort of retire account from purses earned ?i dont have all the answers....i know for a fact i have never sold a horse of mine to the killer's and dont intend to start now..some 23 + years later after getting into the racing and breeding biz.......and that goes for the mink farms too.

[BJ]

]

Will the JC allow such stickers to go on registrations papers?....My first yearling is going to the sale in Sept, and I'm a backyard breeder too, with only one mare and I'd take this yearling back in a heartbeat if she didn't make it on the track or was injured. I'll type up a letter and make sure it goes with the papers at the sale, but who's to say if she winds up running in claiming races if it'll stay with the papers. All I can do is keep her in my stablemail and try to keep track of her by word of mouth....

Call the Jockey Club. Ask them what the rules are. Call your local breeders association, ask them. Get your concerns out there and your questions answered. The other best measure is to micro-chip the horse with a "no slaughter" code that is registered with a database with your contact info. THEN, on top of that, contact every new owner as soon as you know the horse has changed hands, by letter and let them know how to contact you, "in case".

I read recently where a mare was saved in the nick of time by one of those chips. I'll try and find the story. One of the few times they actually pulled a horse OUT of the slaughter house grounds.

It is no joke. These horses fall off the planet in a matter of hours and days. No time to wait for stable mail. Look at Notably Frosty...one minute he was in his stall at the barn talking to Canter about listing him for sale. The next he was being auctioned off between a rescue and the meat buyer. That IS how it happens ALL THE TIME....except for the happy ending.