CATSKY nearly euthanized, now coming to Remember Me Racehorse Rescue

A trainer contacted me a couple of weeks ago about a horse that had been injured on December 21st during a race at the Fair Grounds. He asked me if I had any openings at our rescue for a horse needing rehabilitation. When I asked what had happened to the horse he told me the horse had torn his suspensory ligament and would need many months of rehab if he had any chance of having a normal life. I told him to fill out our horse donation application and also asked if he wouldn't mind keeping him at the track until we could get the horse a ride to Texas.

I immediately contacted John Christensen who owns and operates a Cold Salt Water Spa at the Fair Grounds and asked if he would consider donating a few treatments to our new injured horse. John not only offered to treat him a few times, but graciously offer to treat him daily until he can be moved to Remember Me Rescue.

I arranged with the trainer to pick up the horse for his first spa treatment. When I first saw Catsky he was standing in the back of his stall, ears pinned, and shaking his head as if to scare me away. His leg with the suspensory injury was swollen twice the size of the other and the back of his ankle was dropping nearly to the ground as he stepped away from me. He didn't want to be bothered but his aggressive behavior was ignored as I opened his webbing and slipped the halter over his beautiful refined head. Just as I thought, he was all bluff.

I was very concerned as I led him towards the Salt Water Spa that I would be causing more harm than good by asking him to limp on the concrete from barn 35 to barn 11 where the Spa is located. He was nervously looking towards the racetrack but as soon as he would attemp to trot he would begin to limp terribly. We arrived at the Spa Catsky was a little shaken up from the excitement of being out of his stall for the first time since December 21st. He walked into the Spa and as the nearly freezing water started to fill under him he began to dig, splashing cold water on me and the Spa attendant. He spent 15 minuets in the Spa for his first treatment. Our walk back to his barn was much more comfortable for him.

To my surprise when I arrived to pick Catsky up for his second day of treatment he greated me a the front of the stall. I noticed his swelling had reduced a little, not much, but any improvement was much welcomed. This time he actually drug me to the Spa, not like the same sore horse from the day before, but happy and much more comfortable. He stood much better for his second spa treatment almost like he knew it had helped him the day before. He stayed in for nearly 20 minuets this treatment.

As we walked back to his barn I ran into Dr Hays, the vet that had taken care of Catsky after his injury. I told him that Catsky's trainer had donated him to us and that I was taking him to the Spa for daily treatments until he left for Texas. Dr. Hays commented on how well his leg was looking after only his second treatment and said, "I am so glad they didn't euthanized this horse". Catsky has a chance to be a very special horse for someone. Dr. Hays has always been quick to help with our rescue program and donated a wormer for Catsky and also told me that he was recently vaccinated.

Catsky is scheduled to arrive at Remember Me Racehorse Rescue by the weekend. He will be able to have visitors as soon as he gets settled in and gets used to his new surroundings.
We will need help while Catsky is here. His rehabilitation costs will be expensive and he will need long term stall care before he can be placed in a small outside paddock. We are accepting donations in Catsky's name through paypal or by sending a check to Remember Me Rescue, 4100 Conveyor Drive, Burleson, Texas 76028 and writing Catsky on the memo line. Please consider sponsoring Catsky with a tax deductible monthly donation to help with the cost of his rehabilitation and care. (For more information on donations visit our website at www.teamkeen.com.)

Catsky is a beautiful 6 year old bay gelding by Sky Classic and out of a granddaughter of Storm Cat. During his racing career he had 12 starts with 2 wins, a second and a third place finish earning $44,122 before being injured in his last race. Now he can just be a horse, thanks to his owner, trainer, his caring vet, a Salt Water Spa owner, and all the people that donate to our program. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of this racetrack rescue!

Leestown Legacy looking towards The Cocodrie Stakes

Leestown Legacy finished 2nd in the Louisiana Champions Day Handicap Stakes at The Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on Saturday December 12th.

While in the paddock about 10 minutes before post time, Leestown Legacy lost part of his horse shoe and the race had to be delayed while farrier reattached the shoe. It had been raining all day and the track was listed as sloppy. We were worried about how he would handle the track conditions since he had never run on anything this bad before. He remained calm the entire time while having his shoe repaired and seemed unaffected by the rain and the mud. Finally the shoe is fixed and it is post time.

The son of Leestown broke from the number one post position with jockey Richard Eramia aboard and raced along the rail in 4th position during the first quarter mile. Just before the half-mile mark, a hole opened up along the rail and Eramia sent Leestown Legacy straight to the front. He extended his lead through the next 3/8 of a mile and made the final turn for home leading the pack of 8 Louisiana-Breds. With one furlong remaining, the heavy favorite, came up and passed him. A second challenge tried to take second position but Leestown Legacy fought him all the way to the wire and held on to take second place by a nose in a photo.

Jockey Richard Eramia said the horse ran great and he expects an even better performance out of him next time. Everyone was very proud of his performance. Leestown Legacy earned $10,000 for the finish and has been nominated to the $75,000 Cocodrie Stakes at Delta Downs on January 1st.

Trainers Dallas and Donna Keen should be commended on a great job of turning this $20,000 claiming horse into a stakes placed contender. Thanks should also go out to all the owners for showing the patience to give this horse a three month break from the track so that he could come back in his best form.

Reposted from
Ian Yarnot, Yarnot Stables

Leestown Legacy is entered to run the Cocodrie Stakes on New Years Day at Delta Downs. He will be ridden by jockey Richard Eramia.

Gerry Di Laura, Good bye my friend

My friend. long time jockey agent for Luis Quinonez, passed away on Thursday. Many people knew Gerry, everybody liked him. I will miss him dearly. Gerry was always there to help anyone who needed it, including me, when times were tough.
In 1996 at Remington Park my son Michael who is now 15, had his first, (and only), temper tantrum. Michael wanted to go to the game room with a few other little boys but I had to go saddle a horse. Michael began to cry and stood his ground and when I tried to grab his little hand to drag him to the paddock he threw himself down on the floor and started kicking a screaming. In a total loss I looked up and there was Gerry, a grandpa himself, and he motioned for me to go on, he would watch Michael. I stood behind a pillar watching in disbelief that this screaming kicking child was my son. About the time I needed to head to the paddock Michael noticed I wasn't standing there. He stopped crying, looked around and jumped to his feet. I looked at Gerry for what do to next and I got a big 'wink'. I stepped from around the pillar and told my son I would walk away every time he acted like that. My son never threw another fit, (until he turned into a teenager).
Gerry was always there to lend advice or help someone down on their luck. He was a loyal friend and agent for jockey Luis Quinonez for 18 years.
2 years ago at Lone Star Park Gerry slipped outside of the racing office and broke his shoulder, last year had some other health issues, I knew his time was not long but I didn't know I wouldn't get a chance to tell him goodbye. I will miss him dearly. God bless my friend Gerry.

Devastating loss at Remember Me Rescue

We are very saddened to announce our first loss at Remember Me Racehorse Rescue. Little Doctor, a 12 year old ex thoroughbred racehorse, was euthanized this morning from colic complications after fighting a hard battle overnight. Little Doctor had been part of a 20 horse rescue that took place in April earlier this year. Angelo Trosclair, owner of Thoroughbred Transport Inc, contacted me after he received a phone call asking about transportation for the exracehorses to a local auction barn, where horses are frequently sold by the pound to be hauled to Canada or Mexico for meat processing. Knowing we were accepting horses into our newly formed program Angelo, who is a retired jockey now horse transporter, called to see if we could possibly place a few of the more adoptable horses.

A trailer load at a time the horses were brought to Remember Me to be rehabilitated and retrained in hopes of finding them new homes. Little Doctor came on the first trailer load. Upon his arrival he was very thin, timid and refused to be a part of the herd. I contacted his previous trainer to find out that Doc had been an orphan and was raised on a bottle. He wanted to be part of the 'people herd', not with the other horses. So we brought him into his own smaller paddock where he couldn't be bullied around by the rest of the herd.

A couple of weeks into his retraining Little Doctor became very sore in his feet. I was out of town so I called the horseshoer to see what he could do to possibly relive Doc's soreness. His answer was not what I was expecting to hear, 'euthanize him, he has rotated his coffin bone'. I called Diamond W Animal Hospital and Pine Hill Pet Cemetery to set up a time for his euthanasia.

When Dr. Roeber arrived he called me and gave me some good news. He said, 'Donna, I've looked at this horse and I think I can save him'. He went on to suggest lilly pads and several medications which I was more than ready to try. Little Doctor improved with each passing day.

The following week I called in an Equine Podiatrist, (fancy name for really good horseshoer), and his recommendation was for special pads and equine therapy shoes. Again, it sounded great to me. Within 2 months Little Doctor completely recovered with absolutely no evidence of founder.

For the past several months Little Doctor had been available for adoption but with his previous lameness issues was a 'hard to place' horse. Even though Little Doctor appeared to be completely sound and could have been a terrific riding horse a suitable home for him wasn't found.
Little Doctor had been at our rescue for 8 months and had become part of our family at Remember Me. He lost his battle with colic this morning and was euthanized by a local veterinarian after being cared for all night by our farm staff. Dallas and I, our staff, and our volunteers have been devastated by his loss.

We are asking for donations to cover Little Doctor's veterinarian cost which ran $370 and the cost of his burial by Pine Hill Pet Cemetery of $200. The 'Little Doctor Memorial Fund' can be donated to by going to our website and clicking the Paypal button or by check to
Remember Me Racehorse Rescue
4100 Conveyor Drive
Burleson, Texas 76028
Any help with these cost will be much appreciated and any funds received over the amount of his care will go towards caring for other horses at Remember Me Racehorse Rescue.

Boutit Boutit coming to Remember Me Racehorse Rescue

I got a call December 6th about a horse located at a Texas sale barn called Boutit Boutit. We are currently trying to raise money for his purchase, ($225), board at the sale barn, and other immediate needs such as worming and vaccinations. Right now he is safe as the sale barn owner promised to keep him until the funds were raised but we need to do this as soon as possible.

We are also looking for place to quarantine Boutit Boutit for 14 days until he can come to Remember Me Racehorse Rescue not insure we don't get any other horses sick. If anyone has a place that they can quarantine a horse or knows a neighbor or friend with an empty barn or paddock we would really appreciate them letting Boutit Boutit stay there until he can be brought to Remember Me.





Boutit Boutin earned $26K running 10 times for trainer Sam David at LAD, FG, and LSP before running his last 8 races with Milton Gaede. His last career start was at Fonner Park.


Please help us help Boutit Boutit by donating towards his care now.

Red Moon Cat has an impressive win at the Fair Grounds

WOW...

That was all I could say when Red Moon Cat came from more than 12 lengths off the pace to blow by what looked like a certain winner in Candy Delicious who had drawn off to a nearly 7 length lead from the rest of the field to win a $45,000 maiden allowance race.

Leaving from the 11 hole and jostled at the start, Red Moon Cat stayed far back. Behind a wall of horses at the eighth pole she looked to have no chance to catch the winner. Rider James Graham found a hole and Red Moon Cat proved she had what it takes to win.

Red Moon Cat, a 2 year old Louisiana Bred daughter of Malibu Moon, had been entered on the turf in her 2 previous starts but thanks to the weather was moved to the main track in both attempts. She found her calling on the turf track at The Fair Grounds Race Course November 29th in what I think was the most impressive Maiden win of the meet. For a little filly, about 14.3 hands, she showed tremendous heart and courage and we are proud to have her in our stable.

Red Moon Cat is owned by James and Ywachetta Driver of Irving, Texas and is trained by Dallas Keen.

First day training at the Fair Grounds 2009

Today we sent horses to the track for the first day after moving our stable to the historic Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. After all of the rain we have had for the past few days since we shipped on Tuesday I was pleasantly surprised to see the track was in good condition and it looks like the horses are traveling well over the surface. Only noticed a few loose spots on the outside rail about the 7/8 pole that might use a little tightening. Track maintenance has been working on the barns and adding dirt to shed rows and stalls. Things are definitely shaping up for the meet. Other than the crabby electrician I had to deal with to change out our light bulbs everyone seems excited about the upcoming meet.
This year we are excited to have several very promising young horses in our stable. Two year olds Dr Paysuer, Perfect Peace, and Playbill Missile are showing a lot of talent. We also have a few of our older favorites like multiple stake winner Hotlantic, King Dan, and 3 in row winner Icy Kitten to name a few who will be ready to run at the beginning of the meet.
We have several new owners to welcome to the Dallas Keen Racing Stable. Mike and Brandi Cook from Schertz, Texas and Paul and Nancy Swannie from Humble, Texas sent horses to us this summer that have come a long way. Anne Johnson started her first race horse Hero's Crown, and we welcome back Dallas' old friend and owner C.A. Walker who purchased one of our homebreds, Diamante De Oro, who quickly found his way to the winners circle for his new owner.
A big thanks to our big supporters and long time owners as well. Special thanks to Roger, Jack, Todd and Guy. May we all have a fun, safe and prosperous 2009-10 meet at the Fair Grounds.