12 year old Joe Favorite was entered to race at Retama Park on January 15, 2009 when I started receiving calls to intervene. Joe was racing for the 6th time in a mere 40 days, 10th time in 3 1/2 months. That night he was entered in a $3500 claiming race and was going off at odds of more than 50-1. After running a terrible 5th in a 8 horse field and behind a very poor group of horses, a dirt covered Joe Favorite was returned to his stall without a bath and not properly cooled out. Early the next morning we sent someone over to Joe's owner/trainer and asked him if he would sell Joe. He set a price of $500 and we purchased Joe to retire him.
Joe was immediately brought to our stable at Retama to be cared for there until we could arrange transportation to our farm. His hair was long and shabby and he was on the thin side to say the least. Our assistant trainer and our staff gave him a much needed hot bath, mane pulling and clip job and kept him in a well bedded stall with a hay bag full of timothy alfalfa hay to await the transportation that would take him away from the racetrack forever.
When Joe arrived at our farm we turned him out in a large paddock where he could run free and get acclimated to just being a horse again. He loved the sun and would lay down in the grass for long afternoon naps. Joe also enjoyed socializing with the other horses and didn't seem to mind the switch to being an easy going trail riding horse. He quickly forgot all about being a racehorse.
In late February I posted on our rescue site, http://www.teamkeen.com/, that Joe was ready to be adopted. I received several calls and one lady in particular sparked my attention. Deirdra Marr of Dallas, Texas came to our farm to meet Joe. They immediately bonded. Later that evening Deirdra brought her husband out to meet Joe as well. As soon as we walked into the paddock Joe gladly met us half way for the introduction to Mr Marr. What a ham, he also followed us all the way to the gate as to say, "Am I going home with you now?"
Joe now lives at a fancy Dallas boarding stable receiving 3 meals a day, a large turn out, and all the love and attention an old guy like him deserves. What a happy ending to Joe Favorite's career and a big thank you to all the people who care about the welfare of racehorses and helped to make this rescue happen.
Please consider donating to Remember Me Rescue so we may continue to help horses like Joe Favorite. 
