The conversation around America's aftercare ecosystem has never been louder.Funding it and reforming it have been central to Mike Repole's efforts over the past three years. If our industry cannot align around something as fundamental and humane as aftercare, it raises serious questions about our ability to solve larger, more complex challenges.Events last week, including Anna Ford's TDN letter and the Eclipse Thoroughbreds town hall, have renewed interest in the findings Mike and I shared with The Jockey Club in December 2024 and prompted requests to make our findings public.It is time.In January 2024, Mike made clear the National Thoroughbred Alliance would begin its advocacy with aftercare. What started as a call with representatives of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance became a 10-month examination of the American aftercare ecosystem. After extensive outreach across the space, one theme was constant: deep disappointment that industry leadership was not addressing today's needs.We presented 20 concise findings, with a funding model projection, refined with respected aftercare leaders whose guidance was invaluable. These findings were meant to serve as a foundation for collaboration. They are not stand-alone solutions.We sent the findings and funding model to Jockey Club President Jim Gagliano and incoming Chairman Everett Dobson in December 2024 to begin engagement with the registry, whose role is critical to meaningful reform.After months of legal correspondence in 2025, a meeting between Repole and a majority of the Club's Stewards in August 2025 revealed the document had never been shared with them or discussed. The Stewards first saw it only when it was attached to a legal letter from Repole's attorney.The findings are shared below.U.S. Aftercare Ecosystem FindingsOverview: While bright spots and successes undoubtedly exist, the greater U.S. aftercare ecosystem is significantly underfunded and underdeveloped, lacking the necessary programs, initiatives, relationships and the physical and technological infrastructure required today. Key findings are offered below.A coordinated, nationwide approach can build upon existing foundations, renovating these entities, building much-needed functionality, serving as a hugely positive marketing and engagement outlet for the Thoroughbred industry, while driving demand for retired racehorse purchases, growing value for existing stakeholders and ensuring racing continues for generations.Nearly every entity across the U.S. aftercare space is underfunded, some chronically so. This includes most adoption facilities, sanctuaries, equine-assisted therapy outlets, track-based programs, incentive programs and other charitable groups.The current TAA is far more limited than its reputation or brand awareness might imply. While highly successful in standard-setting and accreditation, the funds they raise are inadequate compared to the scope of need. With its strong brand, a significantly renovated TAA could be a legitimate center for the recommended actions derived from these findings.The U.S. racing/breeding sectors lack a central “customer service” function for anyone with an interest in retired racehorses. There is no central hub for help in a space that needs one.Incentive programs (RRP, TIP, TAKE2, etc.) seeking to drive demand for, and prove the usefulness of, retired racehorses have plateaued in the face of limited support from the racing and breeding sectors. They are ripe areas for growth, investment and strategic partnerships.Racetrack operators and/or horsemen's groups have been left to create their own programs–some very successful–to help transition some retired racehorses, but significant variance still exists in experiences, funding, accreditation, the likelihood of bad outcomes and more.Individual, for-profit resellers and agents, entirely outside the bounds of any organizational control–and not the non-profit sector–are likely responsible for the majority of recently-retired racehorse sales. This can compound problems faced years after initial retirement.Standardized, non-discipline-specific retraining practices do not exist in a formal capacity.Partnerships between industry and sport horse associations (U.S. Equestrian Federation) are underdeveloped.Traceability of retired racehorses is extremely limited, with only minor signs of improvement in the offing.Horse breeders, buyers and racing owners will always be targeted as a source for funding a portion of a horse's care once retired because formal tracking of such data is widespread, while post-racing traceability is practically non-existent.Retired racehorses can change hands frequently amongst post-racing owners, particularly within the first 24 months after leaving the track, further inhibiting traceability.The greater racing industry has done little to build residual value in horses (geldings) clearly not bound for a future career in breeding. Doing so drives more money back to racing owners.A safety net for vulnerable horses does not exist in the U.S. This would be intended for the neglected, ill-treated, or those whose owners encounter severe financial hardship.A viable, promotable emergency contact system for ex-racehorses does not exist in the U.S.The practice of slaughter has greatly diminished, but horses and the greater industry still experience bad outcomes. Individuals and organizations–including targeted past connections–routinely pay “bail” to operators of kill pens in the hopes of saving horses from bad outcomes, unfortunately perpetuating a vicious cycle.Senior broodmares are a highly at-risk segment for slaughter, representing a significant threat to the image of the industry; few policies exist to protect them from bad outcomes.Most major breeding farms do not dedicate space for retired racehorses or broodmares.Industry-led research and policy advocacy on aftercare and ex-racehorses does not exist.Those working across greater aftercare are tireless advocates for retired racehorse development and outstanding resources for information, but a portion suffer from compassion fatigue. Skepticism of much-needed improvements across the space is rampant after decades of ignorance or insufficient support from the very industry they try to help. This status quo leads to conflict, much of which bubbles under the surface, between key entities within aftercare.Many non-profit groups in aftercare are fearful of speaking openly or publicly about challenges they face, believing that doing so could risk a cut in funding or accreditation while limiting greater industry awareness of the realities facing the retired racehorse ecosystem.An Invitation To CollaborateThat was it. Simple.The question is not whether these realities exist, because they do, but whether the leadership of this industry is willing to confront them honestly and act accordingly.We produced these findings to serve as a starting point for collaboration with the one entity uniquely positioned to help build structure, accountability, and traceability into the lifecycle of every Thoroughbred: The Jockey Club.The registry sits at the center of the breed.Aftercare is not a public relations initiative. It is a moral obligation and a structural necessity for the long-term viability of Thoroughbred racing and breeding in this country.The findings are not an attack. They are, and have always been, an invitation.The industry deserves to know whether that invitation will finally be accepted.Pat Cummings is Executive Director of the National Thoroughbred Alliance. The post Letter to the Editor: America’s Aftercare Conversation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.