Del Mar to host two veterans benefiting from horse therapy

DEL MAR, Calif. – Two military veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder who are using retired racehorses to help them cope will be hosted at Del Mar on Sunday and Monday through the generosity of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who along with his wife, Janet, provided a major portion of the seed money for Down the Stretch Ranch, which is based in Washington state.

Down the Stretch Ranch is overseen by Boone McCanna, the brother of trainer Tim McCanna and a former jockey agent for the likes of Vann Belvoir and Dennis Carr. Down the Stretch, now four years old, has 26 off-the-track racehorses who interact with the veterans. The facility was announced on Monday as having been accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

“The veterans are coming in Saturday night. They’ll be at the races Sunday and Monday. They haven’t been to the races before,” Boone McCanna said. “Both are Iraqi war vets.”

In addition to Hollendorfer, McCanna said he has received support from such Southern California horsemen as owner-breeder Nick Alexander, who donated a truck to be used at the ranch.

Down the Stretch is located about 50 miles west of Spokane in Creston, Wash. McCanna has living quarters on the property so that veterans can stay overnight.

“They usually want to come for two nights, and they’ll end up staying two weeks,” he said.

Among the horses on the property are such familiar names as Hollendorfer-trained retirees Exit Stage Left, Oligarch, and Trumpet Player Jay. Oligarch, a 10-year-old gelding, won nine times in 45 starts – including the 2011 Tropical Park Derby at Calder – and earned $332,761 in a career that ended in December 2016 at Golden Gate Fields.

“Oligarch is so good with these guys. He’s one of the smartest horses around,” McCanna said.

More information is available at downthestretch.org.

◗ Fans who are members of Del Mar’s Diamond Club get free admission, a free reserved seat, and a free program on Sundays this season and are entitled to half-priced admission and special discounts the other days of the meet. For instance, $30 worth of food-and-beverage vouchers can be purchased for $20.

◗ Veterans with identification will be admitted free to Del Mar both Sunday and Monday.

◗ There is Monday racing this opening weekend, owing to the Veterans Day holiday. The track will be dark next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, then resume racing on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule through closing day, Dec. 2.

◗ The major stakes at the end of the meet, such as the Grade 1 Matriarch and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, are among those closing on Thursday. David Jerkens, Del Mar’s racing secretary, said he expects another major influx of East Coast-based runners for the stakes-filled turf festival.

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