Hi! Let me introduce myself. All my friends call me Slater, but my real name is Closing Costs and I was born to be a racehorse. My dad, Devil His Due, won almost $4,000,000 as a racehorse, and even ran in the 1992 Kentucky Derby! My maternal grandfather, Afternoon Deelites, won over $1,000,000, and ran in the 1995 Kentucky Derby.
I was born in Kentucky on February 23, 2007, and ran my first race in September 2009. Although I did win this race, I was not quite fast enough to win a lot of races, and so my job as a race horse was ended. Like me, there are over 10,000 thoroughbreds every year that retire from racing. I was one of the lucky ones because I had a great trainer who helped me by placing me with a group that helps horses find their next job. I was soon adopted by my mom, Suzanna Norris, who loves me very much. But not all thoroughbreds are as fortunate as I am.
My mom founded her own aftercare program, Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds (HART), shortly after adopting me when she realized that thousands of young, healthy, athletic thoroughbreds were being shipped to the slaughterhouse simply because there were no other options for them.
I live a very happy life at HART, and I have met more than a hundred horses that have come through HART and found loving homes, just like me. I would like to help my mom help more horses by sharing stories of friends I have met through HART and help introduce more horses that need a loving home.
But to do this, I need your help! I am launching my very own Flat Slater program to let people know how they can help save these beautiful horses. Can you please share and like my Facebook page? I put the link below. Can you also print out and color my Flat Slater likeness and bring me with you on various adventures (horse or non-horse related), take my picture, and post those pictures on my page? Sharing our adventures will be fun and will help me tell more people about the need to save more retired race horses, just like me!
Flat Slater Project Facebook Page
Download Flat Slater