Lights on Broadway Retired - Needs Help

[MaryAinMI]

Hello, All!

Lights on Broadway, the 2001 Texas Horse of the Year, winner of over $572,000, and now 11 years old, was found on a slaughter rig this past June. The KB believed the horse was entitled to a bettter outcome than a trip to Canada or Mexico.

A fundraiser is now going on to purchase LOB from his current owner (in Oklahoma) and bring him back to Texas for a good, long retirement. LOPE and the Texas Thoroughbred Association are helping.

If you'd like to help the fundraiser, or if you have some good transport contacts (LOB will have to travel from Henryetta, Oklahoma, to LOPE near Austin), or even if you'd just like to read the full story about LOB's purchase from the slaughter truck and give him your good wishes in this new endeavor, please go to this link: http://forums.delphiforums.com/alexbrow ... sg=27275.1

Thanks, Everyone!

[Bedouwia]

There is some updated information on this topic under the General Discussion, Texas Thoroughbred topic. Apparently, the transportation can be covered, but they still need to collect the $ 3000 the trainer wants, and only have just under $ 700 so far. I hope that people will keep trying....

Bedouwia

[Bedouwia]

I have just listed two Danbury Mint collectors plates for sale on Ebay to benefit Lights on Broadway. The plates are Secretariate and Cigar from the Thoroughbred Champions collection by artist Susie Morton. They are listed in the Collectables section, item 140258646968 and item 140258647676. I would appreciate any bids to help bring this horse home to Texas, or just spread the word to other forums or blogs where you might post.

I'll be looking for more items to list this weekend.

Thanks,

Bedouwia

[walaa]

I think thats pretty crappy that a trainer gets him off a slaughter rig, then asks 3000 for him. Thats a great way to insure that he doesnt find a home. Not many of us that are supporting our own horses, but maybe have space and time for a rescue, can afford to spend that kind of money for a rescue, that may or may not be sound enough to rehab and sell, or support him forever as a pasture ornament. if he was 1000, people would be much more wiliing and able to help. I think this is pure greed, coming down in a trickle effect. someone should have a talk with this trainer, he is on a very "high" horse thinking he did some great deed and now should be rewarded for it. I have a resue in my backyard, Duke of Venice, a 300,000 yearling, that won 118,000 with a bowed Td and slightly arthritic ankle, that I paid 200 for and that was probably too much. But what a guy and I'm so glad I got him, but I would never have got him and asked 3000 for him within a week, he cant even be ridden. ( although I did get on him once to see, and he was a gem ) If I ask over 5000 for him it will be after months of rehab and retraining, I have already spent more than 600 on him, besides his purchase price and shipping costs, on x-rays and meds, but I will bet that at selling time no one will want to help old Duke. this guy is out of his mind thinking that an older horse who has raced forever will get him 3000 grand off the rig, but maybe he will , I just hope he gets a good home, but I hope people realize this was a feel good story at first, then turned into a rip off when a trainer takes advantage of the current attitude in racing in general, post about this horse and what a great rescue it was, and then asaks 3000???? I'm sorry, maybe I am a b%@$* but I think this is bad and greedy. rescue the horse then ask what you paid and a few hundred bucks at most unless you are leaving him with someone that will feed him amd rehab until you can ask more, or determine WHAT YOU CAN LEGITIMATELY ASK". Just dont make it look bad for the industry as a whole by asking more for a horse off a slaughter rig than what a bunch of horses at New Holland would cost, without the record this horse has. You want people to help out, not look at the price and turn immediately to, lets be real, anywhere else in the paper or web that they can get an off tracker, or any other breed rescue for way cheaper. make it real and this horse will get all the help he needs, put in the hands of a greedy person, trainer, whatever, I assure you someone will pay that kind of money , the horse wont be what they want him to be, and he will back on the truck. Put him at the right price for what he is, at this exact time, and he will get a home.

[walaa]

And also, dont be mean to me becasue this guy actually kept the horse for awhile to see if he would make him money racing before he asked 3000, its the same thing. he thought he would make some money off this fine horse racing, since he had made so much money before, and now needs to recoup losses?? I just dont want people posting mean stuff because I'm critical of the money asked for this horse. he tried to make money off an old horse first, then now he is a hero for saving this horse. I think if this old guy had even come in the money a couple of times, this trainer would still be touting that he had this guy in his barn, rather than asking 3000K for him. he was out to make any dime he could, sounds like to me, before he "offered to help him" find a retirement home???

[going4stamina]

In this retirement of our old warriors business, it is a fine line trying to maintain peace with trainers who can yank the deal out at any time.
It was less than a year ago that another former stakes horse kept being promised to a retirement program from his trainer, who still kept running him dead last trying to force a claim from frantic fans who felt he was not sound--until he had a fatal breakdown.

As a fan, I would really like to see LOB back in TX--even if it isn't exactly how I wish or think it should happen.

I'm proud of LOB's fans, and several of his past connections have made plans for possible retirement home--I think there is room for others that made $$ off this fine horse to step up to the plate.

[Bedouwia]

I too am less than happy about the price the trainer is asking for Lights on Broadway and have asked those involved in the attempt to purchase him (on the Alex Brown racing forum) if there is any hope of negotiations, etc.

I am not in any way doing the negotiations, just trying to help get him home to Texas where he deserves a good forever home, with respect. I understand that now almost $ 900 has been raised, so he is still a long way from home. To me, the money we have should be a fair price, especially when you consider that there will be nice young yearlings for sale across this country that will not get bids of $ 3,000.

I have horses of my own that I struggle to take care of, and it would be easy to "just mind my own business." Yet, for some reason this deal has made me want to try to help out if I can. I can't really explain why this particular horse has touched my heart, except to say that he has given his best for eleven years. For some of those years, his best was very good. Now, he deserves a good retirement. Maybe I feel this so strongly, because I too am of retirement age, but still working?

Bedouwia

[walaa]

I totally agree, they all deserve good retirement, it just is too bad they want so much. Like another poster said, you have got 10 sales in various states in the next 4 months, where some horses, including mares in foal etc wont go for much over 1000. I actually watched some at the keeneland nov sale last year get bids of 500. Just like the reject I bought, The ONLY reason I have been able to spend 800 on him, (besides purchase and shipping), and only have had him for 7 weeks is because he was so cheap. So now I know whats ailing him, how to manage it, and hope that with a few more months off, I can then retrain him, and find a wonderful home, and MAYBE, make a little money as well, if not just break even. maybe not even that. But thats a really tough prospect when you start at square one with 3000 he should just give this guy a chance and lower his price before he breaks him down hisself I hope he finds a great home, he definitely deserves one, but but someone get this guy to lower price, then people can start helping and actually help, you know?

[MaryAinMI]

Hi, Everyone. I'm the person most closely involved with this effort. Thanks for all of your comments and questions. I want to respond to all of them, so keep them coming. I have only this brief access to the Internet this morning as I am out of town. I will be back home later this afternoon/early evening and will post then. Thanks for your patience! Mary

[Mood Swings]

Who is the trainer? I think if there are Many willing people that will write this guy a letter and tell him how cheap he is being he might just change his mind on the asking price, especially if the people responding are clients or potential clients.

Kudos to you for looking out for this HOTY and $572,000 earner, it so terribly sad that a horse that has given so much cannot enjoy a deserved retirement.

[MaryAinMI]

Hi, walaa:

I want you and the others to have some background on the effort for Lights on Broadway.

The owner/trainer isn't asking $3,000 for Lights. I offered $3,000 and he (actually, his wife) accepted that offer.

Here is how this all came about. Since I had assisted him in retiring a couple of other racing thoroughbreds, Alex Brown asked me to contact Lights on Broadway's trainer when a race for LOB popped up on Alex's DRF horse watch list. The idea is that I would let the owner know about the group of us (FOBs and many, many others) who have been watching these $500,000+ winners that are now competitive in only the lowest claiming races and, if the horse appears to be in some danger, who are working to get them retired. I would ask the trainer if, in view of this horse's great record and history, he would be willing to consider donating him to a 501(c)(3) thoroughbred retirement facility in exchange for a nice charitable deduction. I would also ask the trainer if he was not interested in donating the horse, would he be interested in selling him and at what price.

The trainer was not interested in donating the horse but was not ready to name a price. Several reasonably-spaced follow-up telephone calls later, there was still no price named and every indication that he wanted to keep running Lights on Broadway. In his most recent race, LOB finished 7th of 9 - the description of his race was "no threat, failed to menace."

LOB wasn't on a slaughter truck because he was a sound racehorse ready to keep running at whatever levels. He was put on that truck because he was done running and possibly damaged.

I did not want LOB to run anymore and risk a fatal injury. After weeks of trying to get a price, I called the owner and offered an amount just slightly below the claiming price LOB last ran at but enough that I believed he would accept it. That number was $3,000, and he did accept it.

If you feel I offered too much for the horse, I'm not going to disagree with you. It is what it is.

I don't know the trainer. He told me he bought LOB off the slaughter truck and I have no reason not to believe him. And if he bought LOB to run him, that's fine with me, because in the process he also saved LOB from slaughter and angels (if they exist) have undoubtedly shown up in stranger disguises.

The trainer is a businessman. He makes his living by racing horses (mainly quarter-horses) and by raising, buying, and selling them - not by "saving" them. It's certainly no fault to him that he chose not to donate LOB. He uses horses - and likely takes excellent care of them - to make his living.

Is Lights on Broadway worth $3,000? I can't answer that. I can surely try to negotiate a lower price, but whatever the price is, that is what it will cost to get LOB back home to Texas - to LOPE or to his breeder - both of whom have offered him a home.

I really, really hope you'll all take a look at the fundraiser thread on Alex Brown racing. And I also hope that when you think about whether or not to contribute, you'll base your decision not on whether you think the price was right or wrong but simply on whether or not you'd like to help this horse get back home. If you contribute $5 or $15 or $25 or whatever, it doesn't matter if you're contributing to a $1,000 price or a $3,000 price - your contribution will do the same important thing no matter what - bring us closer to bringing him home.

And if you are totally incensed at the price, please don't go after the trainer. Come after me (you won't be the first ) There are, without question, many reasons not to offer that high of a price for a damaged racehorse. But I did it anyway - and hoped it would be enough to make the difference.

[Bedouwia]

I appreciate the information and the explanation of the price. It makes more sense now. I am still willing to try to bring this horse home to Texas and a respectable retirement. I believe that almost $ 900 has been raised, so it may be a reach. The two collector's plates listed on Ebay are going for 99 cents each at the moment. However, there are four days to go, if anyone wants to bid? It just seems to me that these horses that have done so much for so long deserve a retirement plan. Kudos to those trainers that find good placements for them, or even use them as track ponies, etc. when they can no longer perform. This is a tough business.

Bedouwia

[MaryAinMI]

Bedouwia: We have over $900 now. A flyer announcing Lights on Broadway's fundraiser will be copied and given out by one of the businesses at the Dallas Fasig Tipton sale this weekend. Now that we have a bank account established in the name of the "Lights on Broadway Purchase Fund," I think people will find it a little bit easier to contribute.

(Photo by Texas Thoroughbred Association)
Here he is, folks. Really a spectacular horse. If you would like to contribute to help him come back home to Texas, please send your non-deductible check in any amount (no amount is too small), made payable to the "Lights on Broadway Purchase Fund" to:

Lights on Broadway Purchase Fund
Mary A. Overman, Administrator
9683 Shawnee Branch Road
Plainwell, MI 49080

Not including contributions from the 5 of us who ran the fundraiser, we collected close to $3,000 in order to buy Top Bunk, who was racing with injuries, this past Spring. I feel really hopeful about Lights on Broadway, especially about Texans stepping up to help.

Thanks, everyone! If you would like any more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to post them or send them to me by e-mail.

[Bedouwia]

According to a post that I just read on the Texas thread, someone has donated the remainder of the funds to retire this wonderful horse. Great news, and thanks to whoever it was and everyone else who helped.

Bedouwia

[NorthStar]

reconsidered