CANTER chapters are celebrating a milestone year for transitioning ex-racehorses into second careers through their free online sales listings. The 10 CANTER chapters online sales websites served 596 trainers at 30 racetracks nationally in 2012 and successfully transitioned 1,015 racehorses nearing the end of their racing careers.

"Our horses try hard for us on the racetrack so our loyalty to them goes beyond their race careers," noted Bob and Marcia Wolfe, trainers at Penn National Race Course, Grantville, Pa. "We feel very fortunate to work with CANTER to find great homes for our horses. It’s the best program we’ve come across to display our available horses for buyers who are knowledgeable and sincere about their interest. We’ve had tremendous success placing horses and continue to stay involved in their futures through regular updates from buyers. It’s a great feeling to see our horses excel in secondary careers and we sincerely appreciate the efforts of all CANTER volunteers."

In 2012, CANTER volunteers made over 600 trips in total to racetracks in Ohio, New England (Massachusetts), Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and the Mid-Atlantic region (Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia) to meet with trainers and owners of horses that were ready to retire from racing but are capable of beginning a second career.

"CANTER is a 100% volunteer organization," said CANTER Executive Director Nancy Koch. "Our volunteers are dedicated to helping the Thoroughbred racing community find appropriate homes for their horses when they are ready for second careers