<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Retired Thoroughbred Archives - Woodbine Racetrack</title> <atom:link href="/tag/retired-thoroughbred/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:58:50 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-CA</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2</generator> <item> <title>Florida Won: The Story in His Eyes</title> <link>/woodbine-news/florida-won-the-story-in-his-eyes/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[grace]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:58:50 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine Insider]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society]]></category> <category><![CDATA[OTTB]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Retired Thoroughbred]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=40923</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Standing in the ring, Barb Moore gazed into the eyes of a striking chestnut gelding and saw something she didn’t expect. After...</p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/florida-won-the-story-in-his-eyes/">Florida Won: The Story in His Eyes</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Standing in the ring, Barb Moore gazed into the eyes of a striking chestnut gelding and saw something she didn’t expect.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">After saying goodbye to her heart horse, Jag, in February, the idea of welcoming another into her life felt unimaginable. The bond they shared over 27 years seemed irreplaceable.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Just over a month later, Moore visited<a class="styles_link__4YAiu" href="https://longrunretirement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> LongRun</a>, the respected horse retirement and adoption organization founded in 1999. On its pristine 100-acre property in Hillsburgh, Ontario, she watched as a horse cantered – a smooth, three-beat gait between a trot and a gallop – around the enclosed arena.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Moore, a longtime horse owner and rider, was captivated.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">The horse was Florida Won, now known as Felix.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“The first thing I notice is their eyes and he has these kind, beautiful eyes. I saw him training with a lady, who was riding him in the arena, and I thought, ‘What a sweetheart.’ He just moved beautifully. He was so kind and I loved his personality. So, I thought, ‘This is the horse for me.’ He had this way about him.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>Winning Form</strong></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">On the racetrack, the son of Birdstone had a penchant for winning ways.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway, Florida Won was consigned by his breeder to the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he sold for $385,000.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Over 45 races, Florida Won took on top-flight competition, winning on 10 occasions while achieving status as a multiple graded stakes winner.</p> <figure id="attachment_40924" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40924" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-scaled.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40924" src="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-800x533.jpg" alt="Florida Won and jockey Ademar Santos winning Race 9 on October 31, 2021 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)" width="750" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-800x533.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-350x233.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-768x512.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon1-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40924" class="wp-caption-text">Florida Won and jockey Ademar Santos winning Race 9 on October 31, 2021 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">After his final race, on Nov. 19. 2021, Florida Won, who recorded $585,071 in purse earnings, was donated to LongRun by owner Domenic DiLalla of Centennial Farms (Niagara) and trainer Ross Armata, Jr.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">His journey after racing wasn’t a straight path, but today, the 15-year-old gelding is living the good life with Moore.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“LongRun tries to offer all of its graduates a safety net, whether it be emergency financial help or reintroduction into our care should circumstances with the adopter change and dictate the horse’s return, which was the case with Felix,” said Vicki Pappas, LongRun co-founder and chairperson. “We are so happy that Felix and Barb found one another.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>Finding the Right Match</strong></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Moore is grateful they did.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“He’s got that playful kind of personality. He’s very quirky and he just loves to play. He’s just got this kind side to him. I have found a beautiful horse. He’s just a lot of fun. You can see it in his eyes. He’s very playful. He’s just the type of guy that just really wants to be happy and have a good time.”</p> <div class="mceTemp"></div> <figure id="attachment_40926" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40926" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40926" src="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-800x652.jpg" alt="Florida Won, now known as Felix" width="750" height="611" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-800x652.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-350x285.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-768x625.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-1536x1251.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon-1400x1140.jpg 1400w, /wp-content/uploads/FloridaWon.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40926" class="wp-caption-text">Florida Won, now known as Felix</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Janet Hall, Moore’s longtime friend and an accomplished riding coach, saw it immediately.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“This horse just looked so sweet and kind,” recalled Hall. “I love his conformation, too. He appealed to me instantly.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Just like Up Pops the Devil did for Hall over 30 years ago.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Hall has a long history with LongRun, holding the distinction of being its very first adopter.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">In 1992, while working at Woodbine Racetrack, Pappas discovered a horse named Up Pops the Devil, who had raced 127 times over nine seasons, winning 27 races and earning more than $266,000. Nearing the end of his career, he became the inspiration behind what would eventually become LongRun.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Hall adopted him.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“My husband worked at Woodbine for 39 years and knew Vicki. She approached him – I rode hunters and jumpers for many years – about this horse, Up Pops the Devil, and my niece happened to be looking for a horse. He was wonderful, but he was a little too much for my niece to handle. We only had him for six months before he ended up moving on to Bradley Clack. He gave her a pony because she was just learning to ride.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Hall stayed connected to the horse and later adopted others through LongRun, including Great Surcan who spent 17 years on her farm.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“We always kept tabs on Up Pops the Devil. I would see him at the shows. He was wonderful. We had Great Surcan for 17 years as a turnout horse on our farm. He would help us do the farm work and play with the dog. He was amazing, too. I adopted one more, Knightly Deed. We tried to turn him into a Hunter, but that didn’t work out, so we gave him to a lady who was just going to take him on walk/hacks.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>From Loss to Connection</strong></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Hall was also there when Moore said goodbye to her longtime companion.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I was there when we had to say goodbye and we both had a big cry. It was devastating. For 27 years, we knew that guy and he was just wonderful. I remembered later on telling her she needed someone to love. She was lonely, so I recommended LongRun. And now, here Barb and Felix are.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Today, Moore and Felix are settling into life on her 10-acre farm in Rockwood, Ontario.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">There’s just one thing missing, for now.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I did get on him, briefly, at LongRun. It was one of the most freezing cold days. So, it was a quick ride. It was a canter and I just loved how he moved. It was so sweet. He was beautiful. It was so nice because I’ve been riding for a very long time and I was just looking for something that maybe I could go over a few jumps and I knew this was my guy. I just connected with him as soon as I got on.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I haven’t ridden him yet at home because I don’t have an indoor arena, but I just can’t wait.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">When that moment comes, Hall will be there.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I have taught her [riding] for 30 years and the four of us, my husband and her husband included, are all good friends. I am sure I will be there the first time she rides. We’re excited about him. She is a calm rider, gentle and has great hands. We will bring him along slowly.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>From Loss to Connection</strong></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Hall is confident Felix has found his forever home.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“There is nobody better when it comes to taking care of a horse than Barb. She is so kind and she is so caring. Everything is going to be wonderful in his world. I have been out to see him with her a couple of times and he is a real character.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Florida Won has already won the trust of Moore’s other horse.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“She’s quite a bit older – she’s 25 – but he’s awesome for her. I swear he’s got into better shape because of him. He loves to play.”</p> <figure id="attachment_40925" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40925" style="width: 768px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Image-49.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-40925 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/Image-49.jpg" alt="Florida Won, now known as Felix" width="768" height="614" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Image-49.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/Image-49-350x280.jpg 350w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40925" class="wp-caption-text">Florida Won, now known as Felix</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Moore is even considering adopting another horse from LongRun.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“Everyone there was incredible,” she said.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">That includes Eurico Rosa da Silva, the retired champion and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey who rode Florida Won to several victories. Now a mental performance coach, he also leads an equine-assisted program in partnership with LongRun.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“Eurico is lovely,” said Moore. “He is just so nice and happy. When I was putting Felix onto the trailer to take him home with me, Eurico said he just loves this horse. He raced him, and he won a lot on him. That made me feel really good. I thought, ‘Wow, this horse must be a superstar.’”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">In Moore’s eyes, he is.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Felix hasn’t replaced what she lost, but he’s helped her find something new.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“When I look into his eyes, I smile. He’s brought so much happiness into my life and I know he always will.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>Chris Lomon, Woodbine</strong></p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/florida-won-the-story-in-his-eyes/">Florida Won: The Story in His Eyes</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>From Racetrack to Lifeline: How One Thoroughbred Helped a Woman Heal</title> <link>/woodbine-news/from-racetrack-to-lifeline-how-one-thoroughbred-helped-a-woman-heal/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[grace]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:49:15 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine Insider]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Equine Experiential Connection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eurico Rosa Da Silva]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mental Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[OTTB]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Retired Thoroughbred]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=40658</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>After two devastating car accidents left Ashley Carson struggling to rebuild her life, an unlikely partner, a retired racehorse named Dancer, helped...</p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/from-racetrack-to-lifeline-how-one-thoroughbred-helped-a-woman-heal/">From Racetrack to Lifeline: How One Thoroughbred Helped a Woman Heal</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>After two devastating car accidents left Ashley Carson struggling to rebuild her life, an unlikely partner, a retired racehorse named Dancer, helped her find hope again.</em></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Ashley Carson was reduced to tears.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">In the aftermath of a second life-changing car accident, the then 24-year-old from St. Andrews, N.B., was left broken, physically and mentally. She needed to find hope in some form but had no idea where to turn.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I suffered a serious head injury in the second accident, and I had already had head injuries from the first one,” recalled Carson. “I was able to manage the medication before, but after I got in the second accident, I was diagnosed with a new TBI (traumatic brain injury) and it’s now a permanent one. I was in really bad shape and had a lot of soft tissue injuries – just a lot of problems with the TBI. I ended up moving back to my parents’ house in Saint Andrews.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">What she needed at the time, more than anything, was a reason for optimism.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">After considering a multitude of ideas, Carson found herself returning to one in particular.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I had heard about a farm here where you can go hang out with horses, so I went there to go ride.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The experience did not play out as she envisioned.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Walking through the paddock, Carson began to sob. Little did she know she was being watched.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I was crying and a horse stuck his head out of a stall and heard me. He just looked at me and then he made me gravitate towards him. And he pressed his head against mine and I will tell you, I’ve only felt that connection once before, with my childhood dog. And I think I swore because it was just so magical.”</p> <figure id="attachment_40659" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40659" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40659" src="/wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2-800x603.jpg" alt="Western Wall, now Dancer" width="750" height="565" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2-800x603.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2-350x264.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2-768x579.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2-1400x1055.jpg 1400w, /wp-content/uploads/WesternWall2.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40659" class="wp-caption-text">Western Wall, now Dancer</figcaption></figure> <h3 class="styles_headingTwo__PVB5O styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">From the Track to a New Life</h3> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The horse was Western Wall, a son of Gone West out of the Nureyev mare Grands Jetes.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Bred in Kentucky, the chestnut was eighth in his debut, at Gulfstream Park, on March 10, 2007. He broke his maiden in his next engagement, a 1 ¾-length score at six furlongs on the Woodbine main track. His third start, also at Woodbine, would be his final race, when he was last of nine, on August 10, 2008.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Not long after, Western Wall was donated to <a class="styles_link__4YAiu" href="https://longrunretirement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society</a> by his owners and breeders Marjorie Cowan and Irving Cowan</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">One of the most respected horse retirement and adoption organizations, Longrun was established in 1999. Its property in southwestern Ontario is home to 50 retired Thoroughbreds, a mix of sanctuary horses and others rehomed through the organization’s adoption program. </p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">From there, Western Wall made his way to Canada’s East Coast.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson was immediately smitten with the horse who had a big personality and a less-than-flattering reputation.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“He was the horse everybody didn’t like, and he didn’t like the world. But in that moment when I was crying, he just took to me. He saw that I was vulnerable, and he just was telling me, ‘Hey, it’s okay, I got you.’ He was at that farm when he came from LongRun for probably 12 years. He was not trusted at all, but in that moment, for me, it was like, ‘Oh, well, who cares about riding?’ I just want to hang out with you.’”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">So that is what they did.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson’s hope of strengthening their initial bond took a step backward over the next few months.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“We went through that initial honeymoon phase and then he got scared. He thought I was going to leave him. It was as though he felt he had to push me away because I’m going to leave. He did his best to try to get me to leave him. He didn’t want to be touched or groomed at all.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson, who officially adopted Western Wall on January 19, 2022, never once considered giving up.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“In that time period, I just started hanging out with him in a stall,” she said of the horse who was given the name Dancer when he arrived at the farm in New Brunswick. “I would sit down and bring my iPad and watch a movie or something. And we spent the first year and a half of our relationship doing nothing but just bonding. Eventually, he let me back in again when he found out that I wasn’t actually leaving him. And it became a really strong bond for that first 18 months of not even trying to ride, not doing anything, but just hanging out and letting him be himself.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“We started having a fun time. I would sit on his hay. He would pick up his hay, drop it on my head, then rub his face into my hair. And that was his little, ‘I love you.’ He let me see the goofy side of him that nobody else saw. He let me into his world. He made my life worth living again.”</p> <figure id="attachment_40660" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40660" style="width: 747px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-40660 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer2.jpg" alt="Ashley Carson and Dancer" width="747" height="747" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer2.jpg 747w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer2-350x350.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer2-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 747px) 100vw, 747px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40660" class="wp-caption-text">Ashley Carson and Dancer</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Jasmine Chomski, a registered psychotherapist who offers equine-assisted therapy outside of her traditional office practice based in Erin, Ont., has seen firsthand the impact horses can have on humans.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“In my experience, many of the issues people struggle with today come down to a dysregulated nervous system,” said Chomski. “Anxiety, burnout, trauma, and chronic stress all affect how our nervous system functions, and talk therapy often only looks at it from a thinking perspective. Horses work in a different way.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“As prey animals, horses are highly attuned to their environment and to the nervous systems of those around them. They are constantly reading subtle shifts in body language and their environment to determine what is safe. Because of this sensitivity, they respond immediately and honestly to what a person is feeling, often before the person is even aware of it themselves. Being in the presence of horses can help regulate breathing, slow heart rate, and improve heart rate variability, which is an indicator of a more balanced nervous system. Their calm presence and grounded energy often invite people to settle into a more regulated state.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“One of the most powerful things I witness is how horses create a safe space for emotions that people have been holding in for years.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">I have seen clients who carry deep trauma or grief finally feel safe enough to release emotions they have suppressed for a long time. The presence of the horses often allows people to bypass the defenses that keep those feelings locked away.”</p> <h3 class="styles_headingTwo__PVB5O styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Hope and Healing</h3> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson’s relationship with Dancer has been transformative.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">For the first time since the second car accident, she found contentment and confidence.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I wasn’t able to drive when I met him because I had panic attacks. He made me start driving again. And then he made me start driving at night to go feed him and see him. So, he really helped in that way, and he became my mental health therapist and my physical therapist. Physiotherapists gave up on me because I had a frozen shoulder, but Dancer got it working again.”</p> <figure id="attachment_40661" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40661" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40661" src="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer1-800x876.jpg" alt="Ashley Carson and Dancer" width="750" height="821" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer1-800x876.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer1-350x383.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer1-768x841.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer1.jpg 829w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40661" class="wp-caption-text">Ashley Carson and Dancer</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">He also gave Carson the riding moments she had longed for.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I trusted him. And we did it. And he took me. I was just reading through journal entries, looking at the first time we rode together. He took care of me and he would start by just walking and then he was like, ‘Okay, can we trot now?’ And he’d start like trotting a little bit and I would tell him to stop and he would.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“He understands everything I say. He knows when there’s one word out of place and he senses how to take care of me. If I lost my balance, he caught me. And I know that sounds weird, but he would feel me and put his body underneath me. We moved on to the next step of cantering. He was telling me, ‘Oh, you got the trot down? Okay, let’s go do this now.’ It is a remarkable bond we share.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Chomski has witnessed similar moments during equine-assisted therapy sessions.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“One of the most powerful things I witness is how horses create a safe space for emotions that people have been holding in for years.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">I have seen clients who carry deep trauma or grief finally feel safe enough to release emotions they have suppressed for a long time. The presence of the horses often allows people to bypass the defenses that keep those feelings locked away.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">She recalls one experience in particular.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“One that stays with me involved a young client who had lost a parent at an early age. Her grief had largely come out as anger and frustration. In her first session, my horse Sage connected with her right away. Open and curious, he walked over and gently laid down in the grass beside her. The child sat down on the ground with him. Sage simply stayed there with her, quietly present. After some time, the child finally began to cry and release the grief she had been holding inside for years. The resulting shift in her, at home, was profound.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“Horses seem to just know how to meet people exactly where they are emotionally and offer a kind of quiet companionship that allows healing to unfold naturally. I have seen it happen, time and time again.” </p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">So, too, have staff at LongRun.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">In partnership with former champion jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva, LongRun offers the <a class="styles_link__4YAiu" href="https://www.eec.horse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Equine Experiential Connection (EEC) program</a>.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The program supports mental health, personal development, and emotional healing by incorporating equine-assisted experiences. Through interaction with the horses, participants can release stress, strengthen self-confidence, and improve emotional awareness in a supportive and calming environment.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“LongRun is excited and grateful to witness what our horses and Eurico can do to heal and help people experiencing troubled times.” said Vicki Pappas, LongRun chairperson and founding member.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">For Carson, the connection with Dancer continues to be a thrill ride built on mutual trust.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“He’s been teaching me, and he’s been my partner in everything, and has helped so much in my life. I didn’t think I would be very good on a trailer. He just said, ‘I’m going where you’re going.’ And that moment, it just melted my heart, and it made me cry because I knew he was going to follow me wherever I went.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">It hasn’t been a drama-free journey.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Three years ago, Dancer encountered life-threatening health issues.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“At one point, he almost died,” recalled Carson. “Nobody knows how he survived, but there was a lot of fight from him, and a lot of people helping out, just trying to keep him going.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson reached out to LongRun for assistance.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“LongRun was thrilled to be able to help Ashley with Western Wall,” said Pappas. “Thanks to the generous support we receive from the racing industry, horse people and horse lovers, we are able to act as a safety net for our retired equine athletes should they need assistance down the road.” </p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“It was nothing short of a miracle – how he fought,” added Carson. “I think he was thinking, ‘I just got my happy life, so I’m not giving up on it right now.’ Thanks to LongRun and a lot of people, he was able to get great care and treatment.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Carson and Dancer had switched roles.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I had to help him and become his therapist, doctor, nurse and everything in between. And he’s now in the best health that he’s been in. I’m just so grateful that he is part of my life and he is with me because he’s got me through some very dark times. He saved my life and then I was able to help save his. So, it’s just been this kind of full-circle thing.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">A journey that still has more chapters to be written.</p> <h3 class="styles_headingTwo__PVB5O styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The Gentle Power of Horses</h3> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">On Feb. 23, Dancer celebrated his 22nd birthday. Celebrations were briefly delayed after a snowstorm swept across the Maritimes.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The following day, Carson made the 40-minute drive to see him, arriving with a stockpile of treats and gifts.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">She also brought along his fast-food favourite.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“He had McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce, which I know sounds extremely weird, but that is his top treat. I was eating chicken nuggets in a stall one day and I turned my head for something and before I could do anything, he stuck his tongue into the sweet and sour sauce. At first, he didn’t like it. He stuck his tongue out and shook his head, and then he thought about it for a minute, and then, the next thing I knew, he was coming back for more.”</p> <figure id="attachment_40662" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40662" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40662" src="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer3-800x1000.jpg" alt="Ashley Carson and Dancer" width="750" height="938" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Dancer3-800x1000.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer3-350x438.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer3-768x960.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/Dancer3.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40662" class="wp-caption-text">Ashley Carson and Dancer</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Typically, Carson visits Dancer four times a week.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The stall remains their own version of Shangri-La.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“I just like hanging out with him. That’s just been our main thing for all these years. I do a little bit of riding, but with his health issues, and with mine, we never seem to sync up well. We just like to watch TV together. I’ll just sit in the stall, and he puts hay on my head and then rubs it in. He’s also very good at posing for photos. He always likes to stick his nose in the camera.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">The hard-headed horse will always be picture-perfect in Carson’s eyes.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“Dancer has given me something to look forward to and keep fighting for myself and him. He is goofy and a sweetheart. Now, he gets everyone gravitating towards him. He’s got a really nice herd with three other horses, including his best friend.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“We’ve shared so many pieces of our life together over the eight years that I’ve known him.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">Happy tears are now the norm for Carson.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW">“My life changed the moment I first saw him. He is living his best life right now and thanks to him, so am I.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7 styles_alignLeft__uBPYW"><strong>Chris Lomon</strong></p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/from-racetrack-to-lifeline-how-one-thoroughbred-helped-a-woman-heal/">From Racetrack to Lifeline: How One Thoroughbred Helped a Woman Heal</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>OTTB to Royal Champion: Lakeside Park’s Remarkable Rise</title> <link>/blog/ottb-to-royal-champion-lakeside-parks-remarkable-rise/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[grace]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:47:42 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine Insider]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dr. Penny Rowland]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lakeside Park]]></category> <category><![CDATA[OTTB]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Retired Thoroughbred]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Royal Winter Fair]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Southern Belle Thoroughbreds]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=40271</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Catching the eye of an esteemed event rider like Dr. Penny Rowland, who has stood toe-to-toe with the sport’s finest while representing...</p> <p>The post <a href="/blog/ottb-to-royal-champion-lakeside-parks-remarkable-rise/">OTTB to Royal Champion: Lakeside Park’s Remarkable Rise</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Catching the eye of an esteemed event rider like Dr. Penny Rowland, who has stood toe-to-toe with the sport’s finest while representing Canada on the world stage, is no small feat – even for a warmblood.</p> <p>So, when a Thoroughbred makes a lasting impression on a prominent figure in the eventing sphere, it’s bound to turn some heads.</p> <p>Yet, as the veterinarian by trade has experienced first-hand, the breed renowned for its prowess on the racetrack is equally equipped to excel in the arena.</p> <p>“Oh, I love Thoroughbreds,” said Rowland, who completed her university studies in Kenya. “A lot of people now know me as the one who goes to the Thoroughbreds rather than the warmbloods. I just think the world of them. I love their brains; I love their athleticism.”</p> <p>Lakeside Park, who made 13 starts before hanging up the horseshoes in 2020, has become a shining example of Rowland’s unwavering belief in race-retired Thoroughbreds.</p> <p>“He is just the sweetest, kindest horse that obviously still has ability,” Rowland said of the chestnut gelding she acquired from Southern Belle Thoroughbreds the year he retired.</p> <p>“I first got him as a three-year-old and thought, ‘This guy’s quite nice.’ I started campaigning him and he just got better and better.”</p> <p>The son of Old Forester–Gerty’s Turn represents Rowland’s third purchase from the matching service that pairs off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) who have competed at Woodbine or Fort Erie with new career and life opportunities beyond the racetrack.</p> <figure id="attachment_40274" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40274" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-40274 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-800x533.jpg" alt="Lakeside Park and jockey Patrick Husbands winning Race 8 on August 11, 2019 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)" width="750" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-800x533.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-350x233.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-768x512.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark2-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40274" class="wp-caption-text">Lakeside Park and jockey Patrick Husbands winning Race 8 on August 11, 2019 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)</figcaption></figure> <p>Lakeside Park’s swift and natural adeptness for his new craft reinforced Rowland’s conviction that he was heading down the right path.</p> <p>“He did his first Preliminary [Open] when he was five, which is very young to do that level, but he was ready for it. He really was.”</p> <p>While neither Lakeside Park nor Rowland were prepared for what would come next, the two continued to fortify their bond through their shared passion for competing.</p> <p>“I got breast cancer shortly after that, and yet he was the one that I would ride and show,” shared Rowland. “When you get that diagnosis, you kind of go, ‘Hmm, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be doing this, but he’s good to go.’</p> <p>“I took him to Bromont [Olympic Equestrian Park] and competed with him, thinking that might be my last three-day – and here I am still going. But still, at the time, you think, ‘Wow, this guy is really cool. He’s the one that you walk into the barn and always love to see his face. Just a kind, kind soul.’”</p> <figure id="attachment_40273" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40273" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-40273 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-800x1067.jpg" alt="Lakeside Park and Dr. Penny Rowland" width="750" height="1000" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-800x1067.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-350x467.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-768x1024.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40273" class="wp-caption-text">Lakeside Park</figcaption></figure> <p>With a blossoming Lakeside Park at her side, Rowland remained steadfast in her bout with adversity.</p> <p>The native of Edmonton, Alberta pushed forward in her pursuit of reaching eventing’s upper levels with her new protégé.</p> <p>When the time came, Rowland opted against competing herself, instead deciding that a different rider should pilot a “very capable” Lakeside Park.</p> <p>Cue Jamie Kellock.</p> <p>The “up-and-coming rider,” in Rowland’s words, has been integral in Lakeside Park’s rapid ascent.</p> <p>In fact, it’s Kellock, who after riding Lakeside Park all year, helped position him for his grandest showcase thus far – the 2025 Royal Horse Show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.</p> <p>Getting there, as Rowland recalled, was only half the story.</p> <p>“Jamie got invited to the Royal Fair, but she actually had another horse that she was going to take. Then, another previous team rider, Waylon Roberts, who lives in South Carolina, also qualified to do the Indoor but had to fly up and needed a horse to ride.</p> <p>“I conferred with Jamie and said, ‘If you’re not riding him, then I’d like Waylon to take him because he’s more than capable of doing it – Waylon is a great rider.’”</p> <figure id="attachment_40272" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40272" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-40272 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3-800x526.jpg" alt="Lakeside Park competing at the Royal Winter Fair" width="750" height="493" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3-800x526.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3-350x230.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3-768x505.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark3.jpg 1199w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40272" class="wp-caption-text">Lakeside Park competing at the Royal Winter Fair</figcaption></figure> <p>Roberts, a member of Canada’s bronze medal eventing team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and Royal Fair record-holding eight-time Indoor Eventing Challenge champion, is as good a pinch hitter as there is.</p> <p>Even so, he faced a tall task ahead of the main event on Saturday, November 8.</p> <p>“He literally rode the Lakeside Park Friday morning and then took him to class Friday night,” told Rowland.</p> <p>Despite their limited acquaintance, Lakeside Park and Roberts, in front of a jam-packed Coca-Cola Coliseum, stopped the clock in 186.29 seconds to capture the $20,000 Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge title – a record-extending ninth for Roberts.</p> <figure id="attachment_40275" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40275" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-40275 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1-800x612.jpg" alt="Lakeside Park and Roberts after competing at the Royal Winter Fair" width="750" height="574" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1-800x612.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1-350x268.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1-768x587.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/LakesidePark1.jpg 889w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40275" class="wp-caption-text">Lakeside Park and Roberts after competing at the Royal Winter Fair</figcaption></figure> <p>For Rowland, observing attentively from the crowd, the thrill of victory was astounding.</p> <p>“For me, it was just the fact that I’ve got my Thoroughbred in there up against some pretty fancy other horses with a rider that doesn’t know him, and he went in there and did his job. It was a very proud moment.”</p> <p>Pride, beaming from the horse in the arena and the veteran horsewoman who scouted and curated his talents, is at the core of another off-track Thoroughbred success story.</p> <p>The enriching experience that is shepherding a horse towards a new purpose is one Rowland has lived countless times over.</p> <p>Today, she devotes her time to allowing others to revel in that same joy.</p> <p>“What I’m doing is training the young ones up to a certain level and then going, ‘Okay, the forte of this one is jumping, the forte for this one is eventing’ – whatever I think their strength is, is where I try to market them.</p> <p>“You get to know the horses, and some of the horses, you’ve had for a while, they’re your friends, so you want it to work – you don’t sell them just because you want to sell. You sell because it’s going to make somebody else happy.”</p> <p>Through her relationship with organizations like Southern Belle, which has facilitated over 1,300 adoptions since being established in 2017, Rowland is able to advocate for the Thoroughbred while simultaneously staying involved with the discipline she loves.</p> <p>Her unabashed affection for the breed is undeniable.</p> <p>“I enjoy the training of the young horses, and my favourite really is the Thoroughbreds. You can buy an off-the-track Thoroughbred, put some time and money into it, and not go completely broke.</p> <p>“You could also buy a four-year-old warmblood but it’s going to cost you ten times as much to buy and then there’s no guarantee it’s going to be better. I stick with the service because I can afford to and I really enjoy doing it.”</p> <p><strong>Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine </strong></p> <p>The post <a href="/blog/ottb-to-royal-champion-lakeside-parks-remarkable-rise/">OTTB to Royal Champion: Lakeside Park’s Remarkable Rise</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Woodbine Celebrates LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society Saturday</title> <link>/woodbine-news/woodbine-celebrates-longrun-thoroughbred-retirement-society-saturday/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[grace]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:39:11 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aftercare]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Equine Welfare]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Michael Copeland]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ontario]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Retired Thoroughbred]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TAA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vicki Pappas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=40022</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO, November 12, 2025 — Woodbine Entertainment is proud to continue its long-standing support of LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society with a recent...</p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/woodbine-celebrates-longrun-thoroughbred-retirement-society-saturday/">Woodbine Celebrates LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society Saturday</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">TORONTO, November 12, 2025 — Woodbine Entertainment is proud to continue its long-standing support of LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society with a recent $20,000 donation to the local aftercare organization, which will be recognized this Saturday during its annual LongRun Day at The Races.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society is a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)–accredited organization that finds loving adoptive homes for horses who have retired from racing. Since the non-profit’s inception in 1999, LongRun has cared for and rehomed more than 1,000 Thoroughbreds.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Last month, Woodbine CEO Michael Copeland and the Woodbine Cares team visited LongRun’s Hillsburgh, Ontario, farm to present the donation to chairperson and founding member Vicki Pappas. <a class="styles_link__4YAiu" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmSw0e92Dyk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Watch the “Beyond the Track” video for an inside look at the recently retired Thoroughbreds, the care they’re receiving and the impact of this partnership</u></a>.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Beyond The Track Part III: BTS Of The STUNNING Facility That Supports Retired Racehorses ❤ #horse" width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dmSw0e92Dyk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“The LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society has been a priority for Woodbine for years,” said Copeland. “It’s something where we feel a commitment to taking care of the animals that give so much to racing and the industry. We’ve been in a position to increase our funding through our Woodbine Cares program and it’s something that’s very, very important to make sure that we respect, honour, and really take care of the animals that are at the centre of everything we do.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Pappas accepted the donation on behalf of LongRun and shared how appreciative she is.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“Woodbine started this out and they have been a continual support for us in every way, shape or form for 25 years. We are extraordinarily appreciative of everything they do for us,” she said. </p> <figure id="attachment_40023" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-40023" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-40023" src="/wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-800x533.jpg" alt="Michael Copeland presenting LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society with a cheque for $20,000" width="750" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-800x533.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-350x233.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-768x512.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, /wp-content/uploads/20250930-0018-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-40023" class="wp-caption-text">Michael Copeland presenting LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society with a cheque for $20,000</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Supporting the aftercare of racehorses is a cornerstone of Woodbine’s commitment to Equine Welfare initiatives. The increased $20,000 donation will help LongRun continue providing retired Thoroughbreds with the care, rehabilitation, and second careers they deserve beyond the racetrack.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Earlier this year, Woodbine Employees and our racing community gathered for an afternoon of footraces around the track featuring just-for-fun betting that benefited LongRun, making for an additional $2,000 donation.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Representatives from LongRun and special guest Eurico Rosa Da Silva, champion jockey and Equine Experiential Connection FEEL practitioner, will be at Woodbine from 12–3 p.m. on Saturday, November 15. Visitors can find them on the second floor of the grandstand to receive a complimentary 2026 LongRun Graduate Calendar.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">-30-</p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/woodbine-celebrates-longrun-thoroughbred-retirement-society-saturday/">Woodbine Celebrates LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society Saturday</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Lapochka’s New Life: Love at First Canter</title> <link>/woodbine-news/lapochkas-new-life-love-at-first-canter/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[grace]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:16:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine Insider]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aftercare]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Equine Welfare]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lapochka]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Retired Thoroughbred]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodbine]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=39481</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO, September 24, 2025— Nycola Penfold was instantly smitten the moment the gallant-looking gelding came into view. She had been searching for...</p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/lapochkas-new-life-love-at-first-canter/">Lapochka’s New Life: Love at First Canter</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">TORONTO, September 24, 2025— Nycola Penfold was instantly smitten the moment the gallant-looking gelding came into view.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">She had been searching for months for the right horse—one she could give a good home to and share a quiet but fulfilling life with.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">When she arrived at the picturesque Hillsburgh, Ontario property this past spring—a haven for more than 50 retired Thoroughbred racehorses, just under an hour northwest of Woodbine—Penfold didn’t expect to find the horse she had been looking for.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">That all changed the instant she saw Lapochka – Russian for “sweetheart” – a striking chestnut who had made 84 career starts, with 20 wins and 47 top-three finishes, walking toward her.</p> <figure id="attachment_39485" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39485" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-39485" src="/wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-800x533.jpg" alt="Lapochka (now Klaus) and jockey Daisuke Fukumoto winning Race 4 on May 11, 2024 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) " width="750" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-800x533.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-350x233.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-768x512.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, /wp-content/uploads/Lapochka1-1-1400x933.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39485" class="wp-caption-text">Lapochka (now Klaus) and jockey Daisuke Fukumoto winning Race 4 on May 11, 2024 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I was searching for a loving horse,” Penfold recalled of what had brought her to the 100-acre property, home to the<a class="styles_link__4YAiu" href="https://longrunretirement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society</a>, a horse retirement and adoption organization founded in 1999. “When I met him, he was so goofy and so loving and sweet.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I had the chance to ride him that day. I did a walk-trot, and I asked Lauren (LongRun farm manger, Millet) if I could canter him. So, I got him in a canter.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">That’s when a sudden realization struck.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I already knew… I’m in love. As soon as I felt his beautiful, floaty canter, I knew, ‘This is my boy.’”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Penfold, still in the saddle, leaned down to Millet.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I looked at Lauren and said, ‘Let’s do this.’”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">If those initial moments weren’t already a clear sign they were meant to be, a glance at his personal information left Penfold momentarily at a loss for words.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“When I found out his birthday – January 30 – it’s the same as my grandfather’s, who passed away last year. It felt as if adopting this horse was meant to be – everything about it was right. I don’t know what it is about him. He has this energy, this silliness and this intelligence that combines to create this unique, wonderful personality.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">To start the adoption process, a representative from LongRun visited Troy, Ontario, a small community in the scenic countryside of Flamborough, and the farm where Penfold rides.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“They came and thoroughly checked the place, the other horses, and we got approved,” said Penfold.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Not long after the visit, Penfold received an email with an adoption form from LongRun.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">She filled it out the same day.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Less than a week later, on Father’s Day, the 12-year-old son of English Channel out of the Absent Russian mare Russian Sweetpie was at his new home.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Lapochka, now known as Klaus – a nod to Penfold’s late grandfather’s last name, Kloster – fit in seamlessly.</p> <figure id="attachment_39483" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39483" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-39483" src="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-800x600.jpg" alt="Klaus (Lapochka) and Nycola Penfold" width="750" height="563" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-800x600.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-350x263.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-768x576.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Nykola.jpg 2016w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39483" class="wp-caption-text">Klaus (Lapochka) and Nycola Penfold</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“When I brought him here, we gave him a week to settle into his new surroundings. He had to be on his own for the first week because we have quite a few senior horses. We wanted to make sure everything went smoothly, health and safety-wise, with the transition for all the horses.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“He’s in with three other geldings and two mares. He became instant friends with one of my riding coach’s warmbloods. They look exactly the same, similar markings, except the other one is way bigger than him. They are like brothers. They drive each other nuts, but they love each other.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Klaus also quickly captured the attention of the mares.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“He has two girlfriends. At first, it was just Missy, who is 27. They were obsessed with each other. And now, it’s Tango, who is a Thoroughbred, and she is 16. He loves the ladies. Every time I get to the farm and walk out to the field, he is out there grazing with the two girls.”</p> <figure id="attachment_39484" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39484" style="width: 724px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Lucy.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-39484" src="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Lucy.jpg" alt="Klaus’ (Lapochka) first time meeting Nycola's mare, Lucy" width="724" height="1280" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Lucy.jpg 724w, /wp-content/uploads/Klaus-Lucy-350x619.jpg 350w" sizes="(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39484" class="wp-caption-text">Klaus’ (Lapochka) first time meeting Nycola’s mare, Lucy</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">It is one of many scenes that gives Penfold a reason to smile.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I love him. He’s wonderful. He is everything. He is your typical goofy gelding. He likes to chew on water bottles, and he likes to try and drink out of them, which obviously does not work for a horse. He is just awesome in every way. I read stories about how much people loved him during his racing days and it’s easy to see why.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Klaus hasn’t lost a bit of his charm – or his trademark silliness.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">Penfold is privileged to be the latest in a long line of many who adore the gelding.</p> <figure id="attachment_39486" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39486" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-rotated.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-39486" src="/wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-800x1067.jpg" alt="Nycola's son Griffyn giving Klaus (Lapochka) a hug" width="750" height="1000" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-800x1067.jpg 800w, /wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-350x467.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-768x1024.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, /wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, /wp-content/uploads/KlausGriffyn-rotated.jpg 1512w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39486" class="wp-caption-text">Nycola’s son Griffyn giving Klaus (Lapochka) a hug</figcaption></figure> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“I have my coach training him. Twice a week, she trains him on her own and once a week she is doing training with me and him. We have been doing that for a few weeks and it’s going so well. He’s so smart. He’s a goofy guy and you wonder sometimes just how smart he is, but when you are in the saddle, you see how smart he is. He picks things up so quickly.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“Every so often, my coach will take some of the boarders and other horses to clinics she runs. If that comes up in the future, it would be something I would consider doing.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">For Penfold, what matters most is that the horse she once dreamed of bringing into her world has now become a reality.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">It is something she is reminded of every time she arrives at the riding farm and sees the chestnut with the kind eyes, striking coat and playful personality</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“He is my baby,” said Penfold. “He is everything to me. There is not one day where he doesn’t make me laugh. He is amazing.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">And above all, deeply loved.</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7">“Every time I see him, it is reminder that these horses deserve nothing but love and the very best that humans can give back to them.”</p> <p class="styles_paragraph__6o_o7"><strong>Chris Lomon, Woodbine</strong></p> <p>The post <a href="/woodbine-news/lapochkas-new-life-love-at-first-canter/">Lapochka’s New Life: Love at First Canter</a> appeared first on <a href="/">Woodbine Racetrack</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>