Stable Recovery's FRed Taylor to Receive Special Eclipse Award

Behind the scenes, there are a lot of organizations that help make the U.S. horse racing industry all it can be. These programs focus on horses, jockeys, and backstretch workers who serve as the backbone of the industry.

Why do these programs matter? They serve to ensure the industry as a whole is operating in the best interests of the real heroes. The real heroes are the horseplayers who show up regularly, place wagers, and feed money into the pools that ultimately make horse racing a fast and exciting sport.

At the upcoming Racing Horse Eclipse Awards scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m., the founder of a very important organization called "Stable Recovery" will be receiving a very special Eclipse Award at the Jockey Club at Keenland. That award will be presented is Fred Taylor.

What is Stable Recovery?

A jockey and backstretch worker's lives are difficult. Even elite jockeys struggle with issues related to injuries and rules violations. One can only imagine the trials and tribulations of a jockey or backstretch worker who is plying his trade at a smaller track where the financial rewards are limited. It's not easy for a man who weighs 105 lbs to handle 6-9 horses a day when those houses weigh 1200 lbs and can travel at speeds of between 35-40 mph.

It's of no surprise that it takes a lot of special training to prepare someone to work with horses that have value as racehorses. The need for trained workers is what inspired the creation of Stable Recovery.

Stable Recovery was the brainchild of Fred Taylor, one of the key principals in Taylor Made Racing, a premiere horse racing/breeding entity. The mission of Stable Recovery is two-fold.

The main goal is to take men who are in the early stages of substance abuse addiction and help them for free. These men are brought in to become part of the program's in-house recovery program. While in treatment, clients go through extensive treatment programs like 12-step meetings, individual therapy, and group therapy. These programs exist to provide daily structure to men who are looking for lasting sobriety.

While battling addiction, clients are introduced to the horse racing industry from the inside. Depending on certain criteria, they are trained to become jockeys, backstretch workers, and assistant trainers. If successful in this farm-based program, job opportunities are made available to clients upon graduation.

Regarding the two-prong mission, these programs can also be made available to jockeys and backstretch workers who are struggling in life. That's important because horseplayers rely on the services of racing participants who are always in their best mind and ready to perform at the highest level.

Stabke Recovery is run in conjunction with Taylor Made's School of Horsemanship. This is a 90-day program that focuses on building skills related to cringe for, riding, and training horses. These programs are run at Taylor Made's farm in Lexington Kentucky.

In its infancy, Stable Recovery boasts 100+ graduates. This special Eclipse Award is being given to a gentleman who had made it his life work to ensure the U.S. horse racing industry can thrive in the future.