After the race

Canter NE helps place thoroughbreds that have retired from the track circuit

Trainer Al Burkhardt leads Glory Gal, a 10-year-old mare, to be presented to potential buyers at last month's annual showcase at Suffolk Downs. (John Bohn/Globe Staff)

To the people who love them, thoroughbred horses are true athletes: strong, fast, brave, possessing great stamina. But every athlete retires at some point. And for thoroughbreds, there is no pension plan, no Social Security, no guarantee of survival.

For many horses past their prime or those never quite fast enough to succeed on the racetrack, a second career is viable in the show ring, or as a training horse at a riding school. But some horses face euthanization or even the slaughterhouse.

A local group is dedicated to providing retiring racehorses with opportunities for new careers after the finish line: The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses of New England (Canter NE) is the local arm of a nonprofit group called Canter USA.

On a recent Sunday, Canter NE, which operates from private donations, held its annual Suffolk Downs Showcase in the stable area of the racetrack on the Revere-East Boston line. Trainers were making plans for races in the mid-Atlantic states or Florida after the Suffolk meet closed for the season on Nov. 8, and were facing some tough decisions about which horses to take with them.

Canter NE acts as the bridge between trainers looking to sell horses and those who might be interested in buying. Throughout the Suffolk Downs racing season, volunteers from the group visit the stable area to talk with trainers looking for new careers for their horses. These horses are then put on the organization's website, where buyers review pictures and descriptions before personally seeing the horses. Many are priced at $1,000 or less.

Horses sold through the group go directly from their trainers to new homes, eliminating the cost of caring for them at foster facilities. The organization does not benefit financially from these sales.

Anne Hezzey of Ipswich bought her horse through Canter NE, and she uses it for eventing - the equine version of a triathlon that includes field jumping, show jumping, and dressage - and casual riding. She likes to take it for gallops on Crane Beach, where the thoroughbred can recall its racing past.

"The process of teaching this beautiful animal to trust completely, and to reschool her athleticism into a balanced, responsive, and quite successful competitor, has been fascinating and challenging," said Hezzey in an e-mail. "It's not for every horse owner, but I find it richly rewarding emotionally and intellectually. And it's just plain fun."

Hezzey was instrumental in assembling a group of mares from Suffolk Downs for a recent breeding program. Most of them were found through Canter, and they are now enjoying big grassy pastures and excellent care.

The image some people in the horse world have of thoroughbreds is that they are temperamental and difficult to train, said Ellen O'Brien of Reading, executive director of Canter NE. But she said in reality, those with patience will be rewarded. Many people, she said, have obtained one horse and then come back for a second.

"These are sound, healthy, well-adjusted horses," she said. "People who give them a chance are pleasantly surprised."

O'Brien said Suffolk Downs has not only given the group financial support, but has offered moral support in taking a stand against the slaughter of retired racehorses.

"We are happy to facilitate Canter's efforts to provide second careers for our retiring equine athletes," said Chip Tuttle, Suffolk Downs chief operating officer.

Canter NE has helped arrange the private sale of at least 1,500 horses since 2002, including some 150 this year. The group also helps provide for about 20 horses in temporary homes, where those stabling the horses pay for the feed and Canter NE for the veterinarians and shoeing.

Canter NE has six full-time volunteers and board members, and another 20 to 30 volunteers who work with the group from time to time.

The recent showcase at Suffolk Downs attracted about 50 possible buyers and there have been about 30 sales out of the event to date.

The economy is making the group's work even more urgent. Christian Teja, vice president of marketing and communications for Suffolk Downs, estimated that it costs about $20,000 a year to properly feed and train a thoroughbred at the track. He added in veterinary bills and the cost of shipping a horse from track to track.

To put that in perspective, many of the horses that raced at Suffolk Downs have earned less than $10,000 this year.

Michael Benson is a horse breeder and owner who has a farm in Saugus with 15 to 18 horses, including brood mares, foals, and a string of racing thoroughbreds. He has listed horses for sale on Canter NE's website.

"The cost of caring for horses has doubled in three years," he said, citing costs of hay and grain.

On the Canter national website, a quote from the late John Hettinger, a former trustee of the New York Racing Association, gives the raison d'etre for the group: "At the end of his life, [the thoroughbred] should be retired, adopted, or humanely euthanized if no better solution can be found. Anything else makes a mockery of the words which for centuries have been used to describe our game . . . Sport of Kings."

For more information on Canter NE, go to www.canterusa.org and click on the New England link. Rich Fahey can be reached at Faheywrite@yahoo.com.