Photo Credit: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
We have wonderful news to share with the CARMA community!
On January 23rd, our founder, Madeline Auerbach, was honored by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in the 4th race at Gulfstream Park for her exceptional commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare nationally.
This recognition celebrates a truth that our CARMA community knows intimately through the many success stories from our Placement Program graduates. Madeline’s vision and dedication have transformed the lives of countless retired racehorses.
A Journey That Started with One Horse
Madeline’s path began in 2005 when she struggled to find retirement options for her beloved racehorse Lennyfromalibu. That challenge sparked a mission: if she was having trouble, how many other owners were struggling too?
The answer led to the creation of CARMA in 2008.
“There were only a handful of Thoroughbred aftercare organizations in California and it all boiled down to lack money and leadership,” said Madeline. “I thought if we could bring charities together and start a dialog, we could form a community around the sole mission of helping retired racehorses.”
One Person, One Horse at a Time
Madeline’s philosophy has always been simple yet powerful: “My goal was to help one horse at a time. It’s a humongous task, but I could do it one at a time.”
And help she has—one horse, one owner, one success story at a time.
Join Us in Celebrating
Please join us in congratulating Madeline on this well-deserved honor. Her legacy—inspired by Lenny, the horse she calls “the godfather of CARMA”—continues to grow with every horse we help transition to meaningful second careers.
Read the complete story of Madeline and CARMA’s origins in our 2020 blog post: How One Horse and One Owner Changed Thoroughbred Aftercare in California.