April 7, 2007 marked the 10-year anniversary of the day that the champion racehorse, Exceller, met his death in a slaughterhouse because his owner deemed him to be of no value. At the time of his death, Exceller was 23.
The Exceller Fund was first formed in September 1997, three months after the news of his untimely death was made known in an article in the Daily Racing Forum by Mike Mullaney. Ironically, Exceller's name was listed on the ballot for election into Thoroughbred racing's Hall of Fame in the same month that he was killed.
The Exceller Fund was started among a group of posters on the original Bloodhorse Forum. These posters were racing fans who all remembered Exceller, and while discussing and debating the merits of Cigar and Skip Away, all posters realized that Exceller was probably as good or better, considering his record in the shadow of superstars such as Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Alydar, Forego, and Spectacular Bid.
These racing fans sought to start something that would achieve at least two goals: Keep alive the name of Exceller, a horse often overlooked and forgotten among the decade of superstar champions, and to try to save other Thoroughbreds from meeting his same fate. The Bloodhorse forum is long gone, but The Exceller Fund, and the racing fans who formed it, continue.
Initially, The Exceller Fund was started when Barbara Kraus asked if others on the Blood-Horse Forum if they would join with her to sponsor Thoroughbreds at the United Pegasus Foundation in Southern California . Twelve people signed up for the sponsorship. 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 sesmoid 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 was adopted out to a woman in Virginia and was then transferred to a trainer who has him to this day. He enjoys lower level dressage and has scored well at local shows.
Word about the Exceller Fund spread, in part through posts on the Blood-Horse forum and other internet message boards, and also through a banner that ran for awhile on the front page of the Daily Racing Form web site. Membership fluctuates but stands at around 115. Through direct rescue, donation, assisting other rescue organizations and providing an avenue for trainers to find private buyers, The Exceller Fund has helped over 250 horses with a modest annual budget of less than $70,000. 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 Exceller Fund has also assisted many Thoroughbreds from the racetrack. Primarily older geldings and mares, these horses had descended to the bottom of the claiming levels and are either injured or too slow to continue a career on the track. Many of these horses go on to successful new careers or are much loved pleasure riding or companion horses for their adoptive owners.
The Exceller Fund places these horses in private foster care, or use public facilities or another rescue organization to provide the daily care until the horses can be adopted. Occasionally, The Exceller Fund will pension a horse for the rest of his or her life.
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.
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, mouse pads, mugs, and handmade stuffed animals through the gift shop on the Exceller Fund web site. Members receive monthly updates on the activities of The Exceller Fund including new horses, horses that have been adopted, and updates on the horses in the program.
In 2003, Barbara Kraus was no longer able to remain as President. This task fell to one of the original board members in charge of fundraising, Bonnie Mizrahi. Bonnie Mizrahi served as President from May 2003 to August 2008 and stepped down in order to welcome trainer Gary Contessa as President, and Nicole Smith as Executive Director. Gary brings a new industry focus to The Exceller Fund and Nicole has extensive experience in rescue and adoptions as well as her knowledge of the Thoroughbred industry. With a new board from various areas of the Thoroughbred and racing industry as well as the long time support of racing fans, The Exceller Fund seeks to unite the Thoroughbred industry and Thoroughbred racing fans in an effort to provide a better future for these magnificent horses.
Following the Anniversary marking a decade since his death, The Exceller Fund supports Almata, a daughter of Exceller, as a retiree. In early 2007, The Exceller Fund also took in Luckymata, the last foal of Almata, who retired from racing this year. Luckymata suffered a series of injuries that make it unlikely that he will ever be ridable, but in doing so he also set a new course record for 8.5 furlongs, and won 10 out of 37 races. His connections donated him to The Exceller Fund so he would have a safe and secure future. Sadly, Luckymata succombed to those injuries in August 2008. He is mourned by The Exceller Fund members who take comfort in knowing that he was loved and well cared for during his last 18 months.
The Exceller Fund is 100% volunteer, and the officers and board members of The Exceller Fund cover normal administrative expenses either out of pocket or by making a donation. The Exceller Fund has no paid staff, and strives to have as much of our donations as possible go towards the purchase, transport, board, care, vet and farrier expenses of the horses. The Exceller Fund's budget last year was just over $70,000.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death as well as his induction into the Racing Hall of Fame, and to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Exceller's thrilling victory over Seattle Slew and Affirmed, please consider honoring the memory of Exceller, a horse who died a needless death, and make a donation to help The Exceller Fund in its mission of Providing a Future Beyond the Finish Line (sm) for Thoroughbreds.
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