ATFL News
January 2009
Dear Friends,
Sincerely,
Happy New Year!
After the Finish Line works hard to secure a safe future for the Thoroughbreds that can no longer race or breed. The economy is putting more
horses in harms way. You may have less charitable dollars to give yet understand the need for the continued support of our efforts to help
the Thoroughbreds. Please donate what you can, even if it less than what you wish you could. We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support.
After the Finish Line stands true to its mission. We will educate the public about the health, protection, preservation and alternative career options
of Thoroughbreds when their racing or breeding careers are over. We will provide a quality of life for Thoroughbred horses by funding the rescues to
help support the current Thoroughbreds in their care. We will save additional Thoroughbreds from slaughter and neglect by contributing funds to the
rescues efforts to purchase, care for, rehabilitate and retrain horses for a non-racing career.
ATFL has a new fundraising campaign called Equine Designs™. Your horse can paint a one of a kind picture for you! We will paint with any breed
of horse. This year round fundraiser is a unique gift that lets horses help horses.
In December, to our surprise, we were contacted by two groups wanting to do holiday fundraisers for After the Finish Line. In the spirit of giving, two
young girls, Sabrina and Julia, learned the lesson of philanthropy by fundraising for the Thoroughbreds. They are certainly special girls! ATFL also
benefited from the Panadero Christmas Celebration. This exhibition and holiday fundraiser featured the magnificent Panadero, a pure Spanish
stallion trained in natural horsemanship. In this picture Panadero is ridden by resident elf and Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone. His owners have
been asked to participate in a clinic at the 2010 World Equestrian games in Kentucky.
ATFL also participated in the Chronicle of the Horse fundraiser for horse rescues. We would like to thank all the wonderful people who donated
to help the Thoroughbreds. The donations we received will go a long way in helping the horses.
In addition to giving yearly grants, ATFL awards monthly funds to Thoroughbred rescue organizations. We call this type of funding emergency funds. ATFL's emergency funds are available to
the rescues when an unexpected situation occurs or to meet the everyday needs of their Thoroughbreds. To inquire about these funds, please email me at
dawn@afterthefinishline.org. Some rescues notify us months in advance about the upcoming needs of their Thoroughbreds.
ATFL is accepting Grant Applications. All applications must be postmarked by Saturday, January 31, 2009 and received no later than Monday,
February 9, 2009 for consideration. Please send all the required documents.
This month emergency funds were awarded to Our Mims Retirement Haven in Kentucky. They need arthritis medication for two aged broodmares, Alabama Nana and Princess Royal. This medication will make them comfortable during the coldest winter months. In addition, ATFL will provide funds to Our Mims for their 12 broodmares to have the farrier trim their feet. Let's call this a winter pedicure!
Alabama Nana, a 1981 foal, raced on both coasts in the mid-eighties. She won many graded stakes races including the 1985 Grade 3 First Flight Handicap &
the Firenze Stakes at Aqueduct, the 1985 Grade 2 Genuine Risk Stakes & the 1985 Grade 3 Leixable Stakes at Belmont and the Grade 3 Silver Belles Handicap
at Hollywood Park. Her most notable Grade 1 race was the 1985 Breeder's Cup Distaff where she finished fourth under Jacinto Vasquez. Her career winnings
totaled $428k. As a broodmare, she produced foals by several notable stallions.
Princess Royale was born in September 1985 in Australia and came to America in 1989. She was Rom's Stiletto's first foal. Rom's Stiletto was an Australian
two-year-old filly champion. Princess' sire was one of Australia's most popular stallions, Bletchingly. Princess once held the record for the highest price ever paid
for a yearling filly at the Easter sales at $600,000. We don't know her race record, but she did have 10 foals.
Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue, located in the foothills of North Valley Center in San Diego County received an in-kind donation of medical and equine supplies from ATFL. Falcon
Ridge provides care, rehabilitation, training and a temporary or permanent home for many Thoroughbreds.
Emergency funds were also awarded to Heart Land Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation in Florida. They are caring for Roving Eye, aka Teddy, a 12 year old Thoroughbred
rescued in November 2008. He raced at Belmont and Aqueduct and won $44k in six starts with one win. Long after his racing career his owners moved and abandoned
Teddy leaving him with no food or water. Teddy was found several hundred pounds underweight with an infected shoulder and lame. Teddy has had many ups and downs
through his recovery process. Calvin Borel, who rode Street Sense to victory in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, is a board member of the rescue who took an active role in helping
to heal Teddy's injuries.
I look forward to the coming year and the rewards that will come our way as we continue to lay the groundwork to achieve success for the Thoroughbreds. Please join us in
his journey and donate to this great organization. I look forward to helping the national Thoroughbred rescue community in the coming year.
Dawn Mellen, President
After the Finish Line
