Wasabi Stables focused on 'rewarding' horses with aftercare

Horseshoe Harbour could still be racing, collecting purse money for his owners or giving them their share of the claiming price. After all, as a gelding, there is no breeding value. Instead, the 4-year-old Maryland-bred by Bullsbay ran his last race June 15 at Penn National and is now working toward a second career. 

Horseshoe Harbour was sound and had no physical problems, but his connections saw he was no longer interested in racing. He’s currently under the care of New Start, the aftercare organization associated with Penn National, and has spent the last month preparing to learn to jump.

Tom ‘TK’ Kuegler is founder and managing partner of Wasabi Ventures Stables, a syndicate where members can own part of a horse for as low as $25. He focuses on attracting new racing fans, often marketing to sports bettors, and says there are two things he believes will help grow the sport: universal rules on medication and training, and a transparent and positive story on aftercare.

“The number one question I get from brand new strangers,” Kuegler said, “people that just walk up – I literally got one about 15 minutes ago via email from a woman I don’t know who said, ‘Oh, I saw you in the Paulick Report. I only have one question. Tell me what your aftercare story is.’”

Well, here's one: Horseshoe Harbour was claimed in April 2017 as a maiden and went on to win three races for Wasabi Venture Stables in Maryland. He also made a profit for his co-owners.

“When he’d win, he knew he’d won. And he was a big horse, he’s a big guy,” Kuegler said. “And he would just strut. He was kind of a personality. He was definitely the king … But other than that gentle, which also helps obviously with the aftercare situation when they’re not running around biting everybody. That usually takes a little more retraining.”

When Wasabi horses retire or are claimed, members have three options as they settle up on a horse’s profit. They can have their portion sent by check or wire, use the money as credit for another horse, or donate their portion to the aftercare organization associated with the track where the horse is stabled.

Kuegler believes aftercare should be built into a stable’s business model with the knowledge there’s a cost for a racehorse winding down its career.

“The fact is, is that these are living, breathing creatures,” he said. “They deserve sort of the same rights that your household pet would get at some level. They’re not pets, obviously racehorses aren’t pets, and you’re running them in sort of a commercial world. But when that’s over, you've got to make sure that they have a life that is rewarding to them.”