Caught Heart (Click here for Past Performances)

How was it possible that the Last Lion/Pirate's Bounty gelding could have had a turn of fortunes so severe in such a short time? Caught Heart ran in 16 races. His record was 1 win, 3 seconds, 1 third, 6 fourths. His lifetime earnings were a meager $29,712.

The plight of Caught Heart was what actually started the idea of forming Neigh Savers Foundation. I was taken by the glamour and excitement of horse racing and like many others, didn't really want to know what happens to the horses when they can no longer perform and move to the lowest claiming ranks or are forced to race in an unsound condition and/or are taken straight to the slaughter houses with their racing shoes still on. Recently Congress closed the US slaughter houses that processed horses for human consumption outside of the United States. However, the horses are still being shipped to Mexico and Canada so the change of law hasn't had much impact. In addition, there is no law prohibiting the processing of horses for use in pet foods. What happens to these athletes who leave it all on the track for our enjoyment after the finish line became of great concern to me. Most thoroughbreds are retired at a very early age and still have years of living and usefulness in them. Many are well trained and well behaved and can adjust to another career and because they have been "working" horses most want to do something and are happy when given the opportunity to learn something new.

Caught Heart as a weanling

I was first introduced to a the friendly bay colt with the white star on his forehead shortly after his second birthday at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, California. I was charmed by Heart's spirit and thrilled that I bought into the syndicate that owned him. Caught Heart was my first foray into horse ownership and I really knew nothing about race horses, the training, the risks, and what it actually took to get a horse to the track much less into the Winner's Circle.

Caught Heart was a late and the first foal of Caught in Thought by Pirates Bounty. He was born on April 19, 2002 and raised in the backyard of a woman who had divorced a trainer who had a number of personal and professional problems and somehow a few horses were left for her to sell. A member of the syndicate read an advertisement in the Thoroughbred Times and was primarily interested in purchasing Caught Heart's mother, Caught in Thought, as she was a Pirate's Bounty mare but somehow he was talked into taking the weanling they called Heart as well. When registering the name at the Jockey's Club the name Heart had already been taken so instead the name Caught Heart was chosen using part of his dam's name.

Caught Heart with Michael Baze aboard at Santa Anita

The early reports from Magali Farms were positive as Farm Manager Tom Hudson thought he looked great and he was really friendly. He was on the small side, though. First foals tend to be smaller than later foals and he might not have gotten the best care (i.e. nutrition) in that backyard early in life. His best pal in the early days at Magali Farms was an Arabian (also a smaller horse). Later on when they got to training Heart, everyone was less enthusiastic. Caught Heart just didn't seem very fast and particularly given the tough competition in Southern California no one was betting on him to be able to win. However, when he got down to Trainer Doug O'Neill and finally into a race, he was competitive and eventually won. His first race with Mark Guidry he came in 10th as he sat stunned in the gate when it opened. His second race with Michael Baze aboard he came in second with his stable mate Awesome Sign, first. His third race again with Michael Baze aboard he broke his maiden winning on a stormy February afternoon at Santa Anita on an extremely sloppy track. I had flown down from Northern California and was witness to a determined Caught Heart fighting through the slop. The feeling of being in the Winner's Circle with Caught Heart was one of the best memories I have had as a horse owner. Later I went to the barn and fed him a few carrots. He was shiny and gleaming in his stall and very hungry. Doug had done his usual wonderful job and Caught Heart had really filled out and looked like the horse version of a bodybuilder, though still on the short side. That combination of good looks and his connection to Doug is what we think got him claimed for $20K in his first claiming outing shortly after breaking his maiden.

After his initial claiming he was claimed two more times......somewhere along the line he bowed his tendon and was out of racing from October 2005 through July 2006. Whether this injury completely healed or not is uncertain but Caught Heart resumed racing at a venue in which he could compete in short races although he had to contend with sharp corners. He was already hurting by this time and knew how to corner more widely which prevented him from winning. In order to get him ready for these races he was injected with a number of medications. His last five races were run about every two weeks and he was injected with cortisone into both forelegs three days before each race so he could perform as he was suffering from suspensory ligament conditions in both legs. He came in fourth 3 times, fifth once and seventh once.

I had visited him once in the summer while he was still at Hollywood Park. He looked thin and his coat was not the same glossy sheen I remembered. He also looked tired and worn out. He barely wanted to get up to eat a few carrots and as I left he kept looking at me imploringly as if to say "please take me with you." This vision remained with me and I started thinking about how to get him back.

Later in the year when Caught Heart started racing again at Los Alamitos I toyed with the idea of claiming him back and trying him out on the turf. If he wasn't suitable for turf racing I planned to take him myself and retire him. Our trainer up north made some inquiries and reported back that the horse was "quite unsound." He didn't elaborate on the details to spare me but I knew I could not claim him for racing and so that door was closed. And still, I wondered why an unsound horse was racing at all at any level and couldn't stop thinking about it.

Caught Heart at CERF

I watched Caught Heart get through another couple of races and then decided to call the trainer/owners and make an offer. I had previously been introduced to CERF (California Equine Retirement Foundation) in Winchester, California by my good friend and horse partner Gerri Minott McCarron. We were planning on retiring our favorite gelding Milltown Road there if we could manage it at some point as CERF is primarily a home for geldings. I called the manager of CERF, Grace Belcuore, to find out if she could take him. As it turns out she had one stall available as an In Excess horse that was supposed to leave in February left early. It seemed that things were falling into place except I could not make contact with the owner or the trainer. The trainer was not known at Los Alamitos by the Racing Secretary. The CHRB had no contact information. The owner's license as shown by name was expired and although I called a number of people all over California using the owner's rather unusual name no one I contacted had a horse named Caught Heart nor any kind of horse for that matter. I was running out of leads when the CHRB called me with a phone number and I made contact with the trainer. The trainer was not willing to pull him from his last race and the owners wanted more money for him than I was willing to pay at that point. It was clear no had made any money off this horse and likely no one was going to make any money off of him in the future. Almost immediately after his last race the trainer called me back and said the owner was willing to sell him for $1,000. I promptly accepted the offer and a couple of days later on November 8, 2006 Caught Heart arrived at CERF "as high as a kite" according to Grace Belcuore. Below is a list of drugs Caught Heart was injected with in his last weeks of racing:

• 9/18/06 Enzymes (for joint pain)
• 9/19/06 Magnesium Sulfate (calms nerves - aids in focus)
• 9/20/06 Bute (to mask pain - anti inflammatory)
• 9/21/06 Lasix (diuretic)
• 9/24/06 Ventipulmin (airway obstruction medication)
• 9/26/06 Equipoise (makes horses aggressive - antibolic steriod)
• 10/06/06 Bute (to mask pain - anti inflammatory)
• 10/07/06 Lasix (diuretic)
• 10/13/06 Ventipulmin (airway obstruction medication)
  Equipoise (makes horses aggressive - antibolic steriod)
• 10/19/06 Cortisone in Both Forelegs (anti inflammatory)
• 10/21/06 Bute (to mask pain - anti inflammatory)
• 10/22/06 Lasix (diuretic)
• 10/30/06 Equipoise (makes horses aggressive - antibolic steriod)
• 11/01/06 Cortisone in Both Forelegs (anti inflammatory)
• 11/03/06 Bute (to mask pain - anti inflammatory)
• 11/04/06 Lasix (diuretic)

Caught Heart is now recovering at the age of five at CERF. He is making good progress in healing and has become playful and energetic and a sparkle and light in his eyes has returned. He was recently turned out with the "big boys" after almost 10 months of stall rest. Caught Heart is now enjoying the companionship of other geldings and the freedom of a large enclosure. He is turned out daily with his buddy "Midnight Moonshine" of whom he is very protective, keeping a watchful eye on him at all times.

Last Photo of our Beloved Caught Heart

Unfortunately we have some bad news to share.  Caught Heart passed away in early December 2007 due to complications from colic.  We are glad that Heart at least was able to savor one happy year before his untimely death.  I can attest to his well being for I (Karin) visited with him numerous times during his year at CERF.   Caught Heart touched many people and his story helped in that CERF received donations to save other retired off the track thoroughbreds.  As he was the inspiration for Neigh Savers Foundation his legacy will continue.