Many fashionably bred horses retire from the racetrack to a second career in the breeding business, but that’s not an option for some others. Enter John Stuart, president of the bloodstock agency Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services and an advocate of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

“What happens to these horses is sort of a dirty little secret,” Stuart said. “(Many) aren’t that familiar with it, but it’s pretty gruesome. A lot of nice horses basically get slaughtered for their meat. I hate to see the (National Thoroughbred Racing Association) and the horse business have this great momentum going forward, and all of a sudden get mired down because 60 Minutes has this program on what we do to these horses when they’re finished.”

Stuart is a member of the TRF’s national board, and together with Diana Pikulski, executive director of TRF, was instrumental in a recent boost for the organization. In late April, Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton announced the commonwealth had donated 100 acres to TRF to house and rehabilitate retired racehorses.

The land is part of Blackburn Correctional Complex, a minimum-security state correctional facility near Lexington. As an added bonus, the state will provide the labor in the form of inmates to man the equine operation. “It’s a situation that doesn’t cost the state a lot of money because the facility is here, the help is here,” Stuart said. “It’s sort of a win for the state, the department of corrections, and a big win for the horse community