Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred Transition Program

Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred Transition Program

The Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred Transition Program (GPTTP) was launched by 1/ST RACING in 2020 to assist the owners and trainers at Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows in finding accredited aftercare for their retiring racehorses. The program is run by Gulfstream’s Aftercare Liaison Raina Gunderson. Funding for GPTTP comes from 1/ST RACING and the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.

For more information about retiring a horse through GPTTP, contact Raina Gunderson at (954) 682-1294, or Raina.Gunderson@gulfstreampark.com.

The Owner/Trainer Donating the Horse will:

• Fill out and sign the GPTTP Intake and Vet Forms and provide relevant information about the horse;
• Submit The Jockey Club foal papers, a negative Coggins test, and pertinent diagnostics, including post-op reports, X-rays and ultrasounds;
• Be responsible for castration, if necessary;
• Relinquish ownership to the accredited aftercare program;
• Provide for the care and upkeep of the horse until it leaves the Gulfstream Park or Palm Meadows grounds.

GPTTP will:

• Collect and review the GPTTP Intake Form, other documents, and diagnostics;
• Arrange for a comprehensive evaluation of the retiring racehorse by a licensed veterinarian, and provide a report of the evaluation;
• IF APPROVED, contact partner rehabilitation and retraining programs to find a placement, and serve as a liaison between the program and the horse’s owner and/or trainer;
• Arrange for transportation to the rehabilitation or retraining placement.

The Partner Rehabilitation or Retraining Program will:

• Enter into a signed agreement with the owner of the retiring horse to accept the horse as a donation;
• Negotiate any monetary donations from the owner of the retiring horse;
• Provide a placement for the horse that adheres to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation requirements or AAEP Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities;
• Provide photo(s) of the horse for inclusion on the GPTTP website.

In order to be eligible for GPTTP, a horse must be registered with The Jockey Club and stabled at Gulfstream Park or Palm Meadows with a trainer who is based at one of those tracks for a minimum of six months annually. Intact males are not eligible, and must be gelded at the owner’s expense. There is no charge to submit a horse to the program, but donations are encouraged.  

GPTTP Aftercare Donation Criteria

The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and 1/ST RACING ensure that GPTTP’s TAA-accredited partners receive a donation to assist in covering the expenses for rehabbing, retraining and rehoming of every horse that passes through the program. These donations are based on several criteria, including the horse’s physical condition, the veterinary recommendation for time off prior to retraining, the prognosis for second career options, and any additional factors that might impact the ability to find an approved adopter, such as stable vices, behavioral issues, or cosmetic flaws that do not affect soundness. Also taken into account are the private donations made by the connections of the horse. Every horse goes with a minimum donation of $1,000. The maximum donation is $4,000, which may be in addition to donations from the horse’s owner and/or trainer, in the most challenging cases. The average FTHA and 1/ST RACING donation per horse is $2,232.