Secretariat descendant gets second chance at Texas adoption ranch,
Founder raises awareness at Las Colinas Equestrian Center
WHO: Lynn Reardon is the bestselling author of Beyond the Homestretch: What I’ve Learned from Saving Racehorses and the founder of LOPE, LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers, based between Houston and Austin.
Reardon’s work has been featured by “The Today Show,” Horse Illustrated, Kentucky Monthly, Publisher’s Weekly, Christian Science Monitor, Austin Monthly, Houston Chronicle, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and more. Online at www.lopetx.org
and www.beyondthehomestretch.com.
WHAT: What if Secretariat had been injured as a two-year-old? Or if Seabiscuit had never found Tom Smith and Red Pollard? We would never have known their incredible spirits, their entertaining quirks, or their inspiring second chance stories. Every year, thousands of thoroughbreds wash out of racing due to age, speed or injury – many are left to uncertain fates. An equine athlete is a terrible thing to waste, especially one bred to give his all, to excel, to be the best.
Reardon works with these athletes every day at LOPE – a nonprofit adoption horse ranch devoted to finding racehorses new homes after their racing careers. One of those is “Westabout,” a great-granddaughter of Secretariat (the movie opens Oct. 8, starring Diane Lane and John Malkovich).
In Beyond the Homestretch, Reardon shares her inspiring story. In 2002, she quit her Washington D.C. office job and moved to Texas to open LOPE. Since then, she has helped transition more than 750 thoroughbreds into new homes.
“My work straddles the line between farm hand, equine psychologist, horse wrangler and kindergarten teacher – I often refer to myself as a career counselor for ex-racehorses,” says Reardon.
Filled with vibrant horse personalities, frightening veterinary melodramas, a healthy dose of good-natured city-slicker-turned-ranch-hand humor, and tales of the colorful racetrack lifestyle, Beyond the Homestretch is an inspiring look at what happens when a woman makes a bold, adventurous career change and follows her heart.
“This type of organization is long overdue. It will serve to protect these beautiful and generous racehorses who gave so much pleasure to their owners, trainers, jockeys and racing fans, while also making a lot of us jockeys and trainers very well off (and even made some of us famous). I wholly support LOPE Texas.” — Ron Turcotte, 1973 Triple Crown Winner Aboard Secretariat
* Tinners Way is the son of Secretariat who stands at stud in Texas. He has supported LOPE with donated stallion seasons since 2005.
WHEN & WHERE: Coinciding with the upcoming “Secretariat” movie, Reardon is touring bookstores, tack shops and racetracks across Texas this Fall, raising awareness for LOPE and the plight of retired racehorses. Metroplex residents can meet Reardon and purchase a signed copy of Beyond the Homestretch at Las Colinas Equestrian Center, October 30, 10am – 3pm, (600 E. Royal Lane, Irving, TX 75039, 972-816-6804), www.lascolinasequestrian.com.
