Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will receive two planned $100,000 presentations during Breeders’ Cup weekend at Keeneland, the organization announced on October 20.
The alliance’s return as official aftercare partner puts funding for retired racehorses alongside the World Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 30–31.
In the announcement carried by Yahoo Sports, Kentucky Downs and Kentucky HBPA will present one check. FanDuel will present the other.
Friday’s program will recognize the alliance through the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes and the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Aftercare covers the transition beyond racing: retraining a Thoroughbred for another role, finding an appropriate home, or providing retirement care.
The alliance’s accreditation requirements explain how organizations become eligible for its funding. Applicants must complete a detailed application and undergo visits to every facility caring for their horses.
Only accredited organizations can receive funding. The review examines operations, education, horse health care management, facilities and services, and adoption policies.
Applicants must also have operated for at least three years and hold qualifying nonprofit status in the United States or registered charitable status in Canada.
Applicants must own and care for at least five registered Thoroughbreds, or satisfy the alliance’s alternative threshold for smaller groups.
That process gives the championship-weekend fundraising a defined destination: organizations reviewed against care and operating standards, rather than an unrestricted pool of applicants.
Accreditation is designed for organizations of different sizes and types. A completed application and site inspections feed into the review that determines whether accreditation is awarded.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Humane Association have reviewed and approved the alliance’s standards and accreditation process.
The 2026 accreditation application cycle has closed. The alliance says applications will reopen in 2027.
Based in Lexington, the nonprofit says its accredited network comprises 86 organizations operating approximately 175 facilities across North America, as listed on October 20.
Those facilities offer adoption, rehabilitation, sanctuary care and equine-assisted programs. Their range of services reflects the different paths available to horses after their racing careers.
The alliance says it has awarded more than $40.74 million in grants since its establishment in 2012.
Its original funding partners include Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club and Keeneland.
Owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks and aftercare professionals also support the organization. The championship partnership therefore connects a major racing showcase with a broader care network.
The Keeneland calendar lists the Breeders’ Cup for October 30–31, after the track’s regular Fall Meet concludes on October 24.
