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The Story Behind 'The Exceller Fund' by Madonna Yancey, Exceller Fund Member On April 7, 1997, a horse named Exceller died in a Swedish slaughterhouse. Exceller met his fate not because he was ill or injured, but because his owner was bankrupt and Swedish law does not allow a bankrupt owner to participate in any aspect of the country's racing or breeding industry. Rather than sell Exceller or give him away, his owner elected to send the horse to his death. On the racetrack, Exceller won 15 of his 33 starts and more than $1.6 million in purses, competing at the highest levels in England, France, and the United States. He is best remembered for winning the 1978 Jockey Club Cold Cup, defeating Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed. He began his stud career at Gainesway Farm in Lexington. Given his pedigree and performance on the track, the expectations were high; however, Exceller was unable to reproduce himself, and in 1991 he was sold to Sweden. Exceller might have become just another sad statistic, one of the thousands of horses sent to slaughter every year, but for two things: an article in the Daily Racing Form and the popularity of an Internet horse racing forum sponsored by The Blood-Horse magazine. In the same month of his death, Exceller's name was listed on the ballot for election into Thoroughbred racing's Hall of Fame, prompting a reporter for the Daily Racing Form to begin a search for him for a "Whatever Happened To" article. When the story was published, racing fans all over the country were confronted with one of the ugly sides of their favorite sport, printed in black and white for all the world to see. Barbara Kraus had become interested in horse rescue in 1991, when she read a letter in Thoroughbred Times about the deplorable conditions at the New Holland, Pennsylvania, auction, a hellish place from which many horses go to slaughter. Kraus began sponsoring two horses rescued by the United Pegasus Foundation. Certain that there were others who had the same love for horses and desire to help them, she posted a message on The Blood-Horse magazine's Internet forum asking people to join her in sponsoring a horse at UPF. Twelve people signed up for the sponsorship. News of Exceller's death had just reached the United States at that time, which Kraus believes was the catalyst for the other 12 individuals to join her effort. The group decided to call itself the Exceller Fund, in honor of Exceller. The Exceller Fund's first horse was a Thoroughbred named Elite Power, whose racing career was cut short by a fractured sesamoid and ankle. With his modest pedigree and race record, he had no value in the breeding shed, and ended up in a California feedlot, the last stop before the slaughterhouse, where he was purchased by UPF. Elite Power still resides at UPF's California farm, and his care is paid for by Exceller Fund members. Because of his injuries, he can't be retrained for a second career as a show horse or jumper, nor is he suitable as a trail horse; however, he is available for adoption by a good home as a "pasture pal." Word about the Exceller Fund spread, in part through posts on the Blood-Horse forum and in part through a banner on the front page of the Daily Racing Form web site. Membership now stands at 95, and the Exceller Fund has raised more than $87,500. Thirty-two horses have been rescued in Exceller's name; 11 of those horses have been adopted. While the Fund concentrates its efforts on Thoroughbred racehorses, it has also been responsible for the rescue of a Belgian draft horse, two Standardbreds, a Hanoverian, and a Paint horse. The Belgian and one of the Standardbreds were rescued recently from the New Holland auction. The Fund's three newest charges are disabled Thoroughbreds who were taken from a California feedlot. The Exceller Fund has also rescued Thoroughbreds from the racetrack. Primarily older geldings, these once classy horses had descended to the bottom of the claiming levels. Sir Flier had been a major stakes winner in his native Argentina. Thunder Regent's resume included multiple stakes wins, among them Canada's King Edward Gold Cup, and starts in prestigious races such as the Breeders Cup Mile and the Arlington Handicap. His racing ability had diminished with injuries and the passing years. At age 13, he was racing at West Virginia's Charles Town Races and had run for claiming prices as low as $2500. Another Exceller Fund horse is a 1997 foal who had been sold to the slaughterhouse as a yearling. Rescued in December 1998 and named Exceller's Legacy, he is a maternal grandson of Exceller. He has since been adopted. The Exceller Fund operates as a fundraising organization. Once rescued, the horses are placed at United Pegasus Foundation, ReRun, EPONA, or the Pegasus Foundation for care, nurturing, and possible retraining. Horses that are unsuitable for adoption will be cared for by the Exceller Fund for the remainder of their lives. Exceller Fund members come from all parts of the country. They are a diverse group, bound together by their love of horses and their commitment to saving as many as possible from the slaughterhouse. "The story of Exceller's fate was unbearable to me, and I guess one reason I became a member was to feel that I might be able to do something to prevent this from happening to other horses," says Jillian Blume, a Page Editor/Graphic Designer at the Daily Racing Form, as well as a poet and teacher. Peter Pogacar, a librarian, joined because, "I accept all sides of the industry. There is good and bad. So I am a member to combat the bad. Will horses still die? Sure, but not the ones we save! I look at the little picture, and with all the horse rescue groups getting involved, it gets bigger naturally." Tamy Lockhart Slattery learned about the Exceller Fund while researching information on Thoroughbreds. She owns a retired racehorse, a Christmas gift from her husband. Tamy says the story of Exceller brought tears to her eyes. She asks, "What if we took our retired sports heroes, banged them over the head, hung them up by one leg, and sliced them up?" Robert Ross, CFO and Chief Operations Officer for Carlson Marketing Group in Minnesota, learned about the Exceller Fund through a quarterly mailing from the NTRA and decided to do something for the sport he had loved for so many years. He says of the Exceller Fund, "The work they do is nothing short of miraculous and the compassion for the horses brings me to tears every month when I get Barbara's update via e-mail." Members contribute a minimum of $15 per month, which is used to pay for the care of their rescued horses. These contributions are tax deductible. Money for rescuing horses is also raised through special contributions, auctions of racing memorabilia, and the sale of t-shirts, sweatshirts, mousepads, mugs, and handmade stuffed animals through the gift shop on the Exceller Fund web site. The auctions were the brainchild of member Bonnie Mizrahi. An avid collector of books on horse racing, Bonnie had a number of duplicates, even triplicates, in her collection. She decided to hold "impromptu" auctions of these books on the Blood-Horse Forum, inviting other posters to post their bids under her message. The first auction item was a copy of Walter Farley's Man O' War, which sold for $90. As momentum grew, other individuals offered to donate items to help the Exceller Fund. Subsequent auctions have included the #1 artist's proof of Nancy Milburn Kleck's print "Royal Flush," signed and numbered editions of the book about Cigar published by The Blood-Horse, and a halter worn by Free House. One of the most unique items was a t-shirt donated by Patty Jones, a racing fan from Plano, Texas. The shirt was autographed by riders participating in Lone Star Park's Jockey Challenge and included a drawing of 1999 Kentucky Derby Winner Charismatic by his rider, Chris Antley. To date, the auctions have raised nearly $10,000. When the Blood-Horse Forum closed, a more formalized auction was set up on the web site sponsored by The Vinery, a breeding farm in Lexington. When The Vinery Forum closed, the auctions moved to E-Bay, bringing them to the attention of an even wider audience. The Exceller Fund is always happy to welcome new members. If you would like to join us, or simply want more information, please contact us online.
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