Let’s recap, shall we? When Thoroughbred Trainer, Gary Contessa, bought and trained Seal Team Six for Wounded Warrior Stables, he had no idea that the handsome son of Distorted Humor might ever end up in an auction house in New Jersey. Asking price: $500.
But that’s exactly what happened: Ironically, the horse who fetched $240,000 at the May, 2013 Timonium sale of two-year-olds in training found himself in a feed lot on Veterans’ Day—of all days—2015.
Here’s the official:
“…Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale in Timonium, Md., on May 20, 2013…Also selling for $240,000 was Hip No. 137, a bay colt by Distorted Humor — consigned by Woods, agent. Trainer Gary Contessa signed for the colt…”
Distorted Humor. You know the name: sire of Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Jockey Club Gold Cup Champion, Funny Cide.
Distorted Humor: 2007’s third-most-successful sire, after Smart Strike and A.P. Indy.
So Seal Team Six, the horse whom Contessa bought in 2013, found himself in 2015 in a situation that could be called, “uncomfortable” at best—and “life threatening,” “evil” and “absolutely unacceptable”—at worst.
The year before, Contessa had given—entrusted—Seal Team Six to a woman who promised on her soul that the horse always would be loved, always have a loving home.
Either she lied, or she found herself in that desperate place in which clarity of thought is impossible. Whatever her reason or excuse, Seal Team Six’s fate was uncertain as Veterans’ Day dawned last year.
So, as we reported here on his website, Gary found out about Seal Team Six’s desperate situation. Ah, the wonder of social media! It was via OTTB Connect’s Facebook page and FB friend, Tara Cochran that Gary heard in record time about the horse’s immediate need.
Gary didn’t think twice—he took action—and bought the horse out of the kill lot.
By 4PM that afternoon, Seal Team Six was safe.
Trainer, author and former Steeplechase jockey, Tom Foley, jumped in to become part of the village who cared about this horse: He reported,
“I remembered him from when I was Gary’s assistant…”
He offered to drive from his farm in Maryland to New Jersey—to pick up Seal Team Six—and personally deliver the handsome boy to his beautiful new home in Virginia.
No kidding. If every horse had people like Gary and Tom to step in, defend and save them—we could eliminate horse slaughter, altogether. No horse ever would find him/herself to be homeless—never mind, headed to a Canadian slaughterhouse.
Fast-forward to May 23, this year.
At 7:30 that night, Tom texted Gary and me (Marion), to share a beautiful, recent photo of Seal Team Six with us. The horse looked rested, relieved and ready to take on the world.
His hale and hearty new look is encouraging to see, especially considering that, following his rescue, according to Tom,
“…when he came out of the kill lot he had to be quarantined, as he got very, very sick. He didn’t look good at times: Dr. Nate Clager (based at Parx) donated his meds and treatment, and Kristin Close gave her time and farm to get him back to health. Once he was well, he went to live in Sunnybank Farm in Middleburg (Virginia)…” (Sunnybank long has been owned by the famous Steeplechase family, the Smithwicks.)
Now that he’s on the other side of his long journey, the enlivened Seal Team Six is owned by former Steeplechase jockey Gregg Ryan, who loves him and will give him the care that his previous owner denied him.
The kind of care that Gary Contessa expects of those to whom he gives retired Thoroughbreds.
Tom Foley sums up the situation simply and with his usual Irish eloquence:
“He is a happy camper…sharing his paddock with [the spirit of General Robert E. Lee’s beloved war horse, Traveller. Result: good connections and a bit of try gets the job done…”
what six months of love, proper medical care, healthy food and sleep in a safe environment will do for a Thoroughbred’s body—and soul.
Seal Team Six—born to race (or so humans thought)—was turned out, then turned into a hunter-jumper. (No one ever should look at any breed of horse, and see only one potential job for that horse.) Many, many Thoroughbreds have been retired off the track and given new careers, proving there’s no such thing as a one-trick pony.
Gregg Ryan reports that he moves beautifully, and is eager to learn. It’s a cycle, you know: Gary rescued him; Tom found him a home, and got him there; Gregg adopted him, and loves him. So of course, the end of that cycle is that Seal Team Six is eager to learn from Gregg—and is happy to learn this new career—because he’s safe once again. Genuine rest and healthy nutrition put the equine heart in a place to think, to learn and to excel. Just like humans.
Interesting coincidence in this story: Seal Team Six now is a hunter-jumper…and he lives on the farm where many great Steeplechase horses found glory, as trainees of the late Dot Smithwick and her family of trainers and jockeys. Horses, jumping…over barriers…through the dark, into the light.
If Thoroughbred trainers like Gary Contessa and Tom Foley can make the time and energy to rescue horses, then the rest of us have to ask ourselves: “Isn’t this something that the entire racing community can do, as individuals and in formally-organized efforts?”
Foley responds,
“…It’s not hard to do the right thing and help these horses find a fulfilling life away from the track. I’m just glad he was saved in time and we can be part of his journey forward…”
…and Gary concurs, enthusiastically:
“This is what it is all about. Each and every one of one of us has an unwritten obligation to provide for the post-racing life of the horses that serve us. The satisfaction of seeing this is like winning a race.”
Amen, Gary: from your lips, to God’s ears.