With all the excitement and “feel good” emotions generated by the new movie “Secretariat”, it’s hard to imagine that the fate of many of his descendants can be so precarious. Thankfully, with the involvement of several people, literally from coast to coast, one of Secretariat’s descendants has the opportunity to “star” in a new career.
The handsome bay, eleven year old mare with the darling face initially went through the local New Jersey livestock auction as a quarter horse cross, to be a prospective riding horse for a young child. When the new owners discovered she was indeed a Thoroughbred mare (with a lip tattoo), and not suitable for their child, she was dropped off back at the local auction….next destination… Canada … to be slaughtered. Fortunately, Deborah Jones, who lives in California and who helps identify Thoroughbreds at risk, stepped in. The lovely mare turned out to be not only a granddaughter of Secretariat, via her sire, but also a granddaughter of Exceller, via her dam. While her sweet disposition is reflective of “Big Red”, her color and markings are those of Exceller. What a combination of champions!
Miss Jones scrambled to put together the funds to buy the mare out of the kill pen and was able to secure transportation and care at a quarantine facility. With limited resources herself, Miss Jones wanted the mare under the safety net of The Exceller Fund. Thanks to John Murrell in Dallas, Texas, his generosity enabled The Exceller Fund to move forward and accept this mare.
Class Life, as the mare is so appropriately named, will soon be headed to Kentucky under the care of The Exceller Fund. The Exceller Fund is honored to have this mare and will continue to work at “Providing a Future beyond the Finish Line” for those Thoroughbreds at risk like Class Life. No doubt Secretariat and Exceller have smiled down on this special granddaughter.
