In keeping with the wishes of Fox Hill Farms' late owner Rick Porter and his wife Betsy, all but one horse from the current eight-horse racing stable will be offered at sales this fall.
"We don't have too many horses now because Rick was aware of his diagnosis, so we didn't go to the sales last year and don't have a new crop coming along," said Fox Hill Farms vice president Victoria Keith.
The one-horse that will continue to race is Royal Ship, a 5-year-old Midshipman gelding campaigned in partnership with Siena Farm. Keith said plans call for him to return to trainer Richard Mandella's barn after a two-month break. Seven other Fox Hill Thoroughbreds, three raced and four unraced, have been entered in Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale and the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Keith said.
Although the Fox Hill Farms racing stable essentially will be dispersed, the National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization founded by Porter and Keith will continue forward.
Before his June 6 death at the age of 80, Porter's Fox Hill Farms campaigned some of the sport's biggest stars over the past 20 years, such as 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace, two-time champion filly Songbird, champion sprinter Kodiak Kowboy (raced in partnership with Vinery Stables), Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Round Pond, three-time grade 1 winner Omaha Beach , Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands runner-up Eight Belles, classic-placed grade 1 winner Hard Spun , and two-time grade 1 winner Jostle.
In keeping with Porter's philosophy of horse ownership, Keith said the plan is to retain Royal Ship through the end of his career and retire him for an off-track second career. She also said Mrs. Porter may choose to scratch horses from the sale that she wishes to retain.
"Hopefully he will carry the Fox Hill Farm banner well and with excitement for Betsy next year and for many years to come," she said. "We would hope he could be the next The Tin Man."
Among those to be offered at the sales are multiple graded stakes winner Jolie Olimpica, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred daughter of Drosselmeyer—Jolie Celina, by Trempolino; black-type stakes-winning 3-year-old filly Windmill (Street Sense —Zaharias, by Grand Slam), and lightly raced 3-year-old colt Magic Man (American Pharoah —Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band).
The four unraced horses are 3-year-old gelding Battle of Berlin (Frosted —Ricketyracketyruss, by Borrego); and 3-year-old fillies Wings of an Angel (Quality Road —Wear Red, by Henny Hughes); Sweet Tea (Into Mischief —Ava Pie, by Distorted Humor); and Salute the Flag (Curlin—Private Ensign, by A.P. Indy).
In July 2018 Porter founded the non-profit National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization, which is dedicated to the welfare and aftercare of Thoroughbreds. At the time of its founding, Porter said while he commended the many efforts made toward equine welfare, the racing industry was notably absent as agents of those efforts.
"What is missing, however, is a national industry organization, which can be pointed to as an all-encompassing equine welfare organization," Porter said at the time. He said the effort would start slowly, one region of the country at a time. The initial focus has been Louisiana, where to date the NTWO reports 262 horses have been taken in—many in need of veterinary care and rehabilitation.
As NTWO president, Keith went to Louisiana to work with and develop industry partnerships, as well as partnerships with public and private entities that wanted to be part of the aftercare picture there. In the three years it's been working in the state, Keith believes the NTWO has improved opportunities for Thoroughbreds nearing the end of their racing careers.
Boyd Gaming, the company that owns Louisiana's Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs, has agreed to partner with NTWO to provide financial support for the organization's re-homing efforts in the state. It has allowed representatives at tracks and training centers to educate trainers and owners on re-homing options.
These efforts undercut a practice of what Keith calls "feedlot extortion" by feedlot owners and kill buyers by cutting off the stream of discarded horses.
Although originally bankrolled by Porter and Keith, Keith said the NTWO now derives a majority of its support from industry partners, individuals, and other external sources. Even with Porter's passing and the impending sale of most of his racing stock, Keith says NTWO will continue its mission.
Keith said 10 horses taken in by NTWO have been entered in the Retired Racehorse Project at the Kentucky Horse Park in October, including Imperative, a multiple graded stakes winner of $3.3 million.
"I want to continue NTWO not just for me and the cause Rick held so dear, but for Rick—in his honor and in his memory," Keith said.
