Follows is a post from longtime HW supporter Mary Johnson.
“The Dumping of Macho Rocket”
by Mary Johnson
Two weeks ago, I wrote a story about Big Sky Girl, a 25-year-old TB mare who was dumped into the slaughter pipeline when her productive days were over. The story received a lot of press due to the fact that mares are not only exploited on the track but also in the breeding shed, plus Sky was in rough shape. The Race Fund regularly posts pleas for help and always asks the proverbial questions, “Where is the TB industry?”; “Who is going to step up for them?” And then the deafening silence.
Let me be clear. The racing industry does not discriminate when it comes to dumping unprofitable horses. It does not matter if the horse is a mare, gelding, or stallion. It does not matter if the horse is sound or lame, young or old, has good or poor conformation. If the horse is unprofitable (and most, at some point, will become unprofitable), then that horse is using resources that the multi-billion-dollar industry is unwilling to provide. I’ve seen this play out hundreds of times over the years and to me, it is simply repulsive.
This is a story about a well-bred TB stallion, Macho Rocket, who was dumped into the auction circuit through a Nebraska “herd dispersal sale” in May of this year. He appeared in the official catalog with Dan Rogers listed as the consignor. How did Rocket end up in this dire situation? From the beginning…
Foaled in 2009, Macho Rocket was “royally bred.” His sire was Macho Uno, winner of almost $2M, and his dam was sired by Wild Again, winner of $2.2M. Rocket sold for $825K as a two-year-old-in-training and was purchased by Frank Fletcher Racing, and then sent to Bob Baffert to begin his “career.” Rocket “won” his first race, earning $27,000. But as is so often the case, he suffered a career-ending tendon injury in that race. Done, at the age of two. Dan and David Rogers purchased Rocket following his “retirement” from racing.
Rocket began his stud career in 2012 at Starfish Stallions, which was managed by equine vet Dr. Linda Robbins. In 2013, he was moved to the University of Arkansas where he spent years as a breeding stallion. Public university web pages and online articles identify Rocket as standing at the university though they did not own him. After that, Rocket’s trail becomes unclear. His whereabouts between leaving the university and appearing in a Nebraska “herd dispersal sale” are unknown, but it appears he returned to Dan and David Rogers during that time. What we do know is that in 2026, at 17 years of age, Rocket found himself at an auction and was purchased by a kill buyer.
Rocket’s “services” For Sale:
A Thoroughbred who once sold for $825K, was trained by one of the most recognized names in racing, and who had spent years serving in the breeding industry, was now facing a future end at the slaughterhouse. Sometimes there are no words to describe the horrors of the racing industry.
On May 26 of this year, Rocket appears in the official catalog for the Dan Rogers Dispersal Sale in Nebraska. On May 30, a mere four days later, he appears at the Stroud, Oklahoma, kill pen still wearing his personalized leather halter. Candice Ensign, who runs Journey With Equus (JWE) rescue, had been made aware of his situation and she, and others, believed someone connected to his past would intervene to save him, so she monitored the situation. NO ONE STEPPED UP FOR ROCKET. After several days of watching and waiting, Candice’s supporters encouraged her to intervene, noting that stallions rarely survive the slaughter pipeline. Emergency fundraising began and JWE ultimately purchased Rocket from the Stroud Kill Pen for $1,675, preventing him from shipping.
Rocket at the kill pen:
After Rocket had safely arrived at JWE’s QT facility, Candice sent a text message to the number published in the Herd Dispersal Sale catalog. Her purpose was to inform Dan Rogers that Rocket was safe, request additional info regarding his history and better understand the years following his racing career. Outcome: NO RESPONSE RECEIVED.
JWE contacted Bob Baffert’s office on two occasions. The purpose was to determine whether Baffert or his team wished to financially assist with Rocket’s rescue or ongoing care. Outcome: NO RESPONSE RECEIVED.
After JWE published its emergency fundraising campaign, Dr. Linda Robbins shared it on Facebook. This was the same Linda Robbins who managed Starfish Stallions when Rocket resided there. In her post, she stated that Rocket’s original owners were attempting to save him and included the statement that there was “no need for extortion,” referring to JWE’s fundraising efforts. Following Robbins’ post, numerous comments criticized the rescue and urged the organization to return Rocket to his previous owners – the ones who had consigned Rocket to the dispersal sale to begin with. Since no evidence was found of any contractual safety net or other documented protection that prevented Rocket from entering the slaughter pipeline, JWE stated that Rocket would remain in permanent sanctuary with them. He is now receiving lifelong sanctuary care.
Rocket, safe:
Dumping of unprofitable horses and slaughter have long been part of the racing industry’s culture. While, because of his past, Rocket’s story captured people’s attention, countless horses, regardless of pedigree, accomplishments, or the lives they touched, find themselves vulnerable when there is no safety net in place. We are fully aware of the tragedy that oftentimes awaits unproductive broodmares, but the unwanted stallions face the same reality. Following Rocket’s rescue, JWE received a message from a former university student that said they had personally worked with Rocket and that he was “kind, gentle and never aggressive.” To date, JWE has received zero financial support from individuals or organizations connected to Rocket’s racing and breeding careers.
In my story about Big Sky Girl, I quoted Alison Price Becker, and her words resonate with me daily. Macho Rocket was foaled with intent. He was raced with intent. He was bred with intent. He was dumped with intent. And my favorite quote: “The only thing we need from animals is forgiveness” – even though in most cases we don’t deserve it.
Calesta Akin, the thing that is what I think obvious is that the racing industry as a whole puts the worst abusers of horses on a pedestal as if the crumb-bums should be honored. Take Paco Lopez for example. He is riding NAPOLEON SOLO in New Jersey today. Just look at his record of overhanded whipping and reckless riding that causes horses to clip heels and fall and suffer injuries. The industry only cares about “winning” regardless of morals or ethics. It’s a “social club” of greedy horse-abusing people who don’t care about doing the right thing by the horse or humanity. They are not going to single out one bad actor after another when the whole industry is morally depraved and corrupt.
Thank God There is people in the world like this organization and women & men Who save these beautiful thoroughbreds &Standerbreds.!!! From these horrible horrific situations that the people in the racing industry put these horses in! I wish I could save them all! With climate change I think the racing industry will be eventually shut down. Unless they start cleaning up thier way of treating these horses & what season to race in! And weather! Not everyone in the racing business is like this! It’s time to weed out the bad people! Help the sanctuaries to be funded for our horses! 🐎 a safe place for these beautiful horses!
Mary, to deliberately injure a horse for “Research” should be illegal! Such a sad event to read! Our old prof. did much experimentation in his research work to the Shetland pony herd that Oregon State University maintained in the 1980`s. Will never forget some of we think were barbaric experiments done.Some so cruel & awful we can`t write of them here. A recently graduated vet from the OSU program school has told us the equine program is incompetently run & because its not a big $$ earner the university wants to do away with the program. She graduated in 2024.
Rose, Linda Robbins was attempting to “cover” for the Rogers family, imo. They only wanted Rocket back when he was owned by a kill buyer and they got caught with their “pants down.” Candice was trying to raise money to get the horse out of a very bad situation yet Robbins accused her of extortion. The kill buyers do play a game of extortion but the price is the price. You pay what you have to pay in order to save the horse’s life. Rocket was in that situation because Dan Rogers had consigned him to the sale. I was very clear with Candice and told her in no uncertain terms that Rocket was NEVER to go back to any of those people. She and I were on the same page.
Fred and Joan, many years ago I volunteered for CANTER-Ohio at the old Beulah Park. Chris Colflesh was another volunteer. My husband and I were getting ready to go on vacation when I got a call from Chris that there was a TB mare at Ohio State University that had been used in research. She was four years old and her name was Cinamazing (Cinny). OSU made her a “roarer” and then tried to reverse the procedure but were unsuccessful in doing so. A couple employees had grown attached to her and decided to try and get her donated to CANTER. Usually, when they were “done” with a horse, that horse was either euthanized or sent to an auction. Since Cinny was a favorite, they reached out to Chris and asked her to take the mare into CANTER. CANTER didn’t have room at the time so Chris reached out to me. Time was of the essence but I agreed to foster Cinny until CANTER could find her an adopter.
Cinny was a delight to have in my barn. For four months I fostered her but finally reached out to Nancy Koch, the head of CANTER-Ohio, and told her that I couldn’t keep this sweet horse forever. Koch then started to market Cinny and found an adopter in Canada who wanted her as a broodmare. I was shocked beyond words because adopting a horse to someone in
Canada was beyond the norm. Wonder if things didn’t work out? How would CANTER get Cinny back from another country? I conveyed my concerns to Koch but she blew me off and assured me everything would be fine. Koch, as the head of CANTER-Ohio, made a horrible decision with Cinny but I believe she was in over her head at the time. She worked full time, did eventing on weekends and worked with CANTER. I have another unsavory story about Koch that I won’t go into here but suffice it to say my relationship with Koch was never the same. I felt that I couldn’t completely trust her to do what was right for the horses moving forward.
Ms. Garner, stop “targeting” Baffert? How dare you tell me what to do. My story spoke the truth. It was well researched and Equibase reported Baffert as the trainer of Macho Rocket in his one and only race as a two year old. If speaking the truth is “targeting,” then I will continue to do so. Baffert had an opportunity to step up for Rocket and DONATE but he chose not to respond. Therefore, perhaps you should reach out to Baffert and tell him what to do….DONATE!
Keep an eye on One Timer, a gelding trained by Larry Rivelli. Purchased as a 2 year old for $28,000 he “earned” Rivelli over $1,000,000 in some big races. Now at age 7 Rivelli raced him this week for the second time in 10 days hoping someone would claim him for $12,500. They did, but the vet voided the claim (surprise). The kill pen (hostage/ransom) is probably not far away for this young horse. Apparently even “earning” your exploiter $1,000,000+ can’t get you enough gratitude for a soft landing. Funny how even the “great” horses just “disappear” when no one is looking.
Macho Rocket’s story is heartbreaking because it exposes a systemic problem, not an isolated mistake. A horse valued at $825,000, raced at two, bred for years, and then discarded into the slaughter pipeline shows how disposable these animals become once they are no longer profitable. Rescue organizations should not have to bear the financial burden while those who benefited from these horses remain silent. Every owner, breeder, trainer, and racing organization should be responsible for lifetime aftercare. Until the industry accepts that obligation, stories like Macho Rocket’s will continue to be repeated.
Bob Baffert has made himself a target by his own choice. Between money and morals, Bob Baffert chose money and “fame” at the expense of the lives of at least seventy-five horses; and the total number of horses he has made lame and not able to run anymore is unknown as far as I know.
Sharon Leigh Garner, you should be smart enough to know that this group is about protecting horses when possible; it is not about protecting the perpetrators of cold and callous cruelty on horses for the almighty dollar. If you don’t like the bed Bob Baffert made for himself to lie in, tell Bob Baffert about it.
But why, Sharon Leigh Garner?
Livestock auctions, kill buyers, and shipping horses to slaughterhouses are as much a part of the “equine industry” as are the breeding farms.
Horses are not safe on the racetrack or any other place where horses are treated as a potential source of income. If that doesn’t work, “horsemen” cut their financial losses by dumping the horse in one way or another to get the horse as a liability off their books. It’s a business. The IRS sees keeping horses as a business or as a hobby. There are no tax write-offs for keeping horses as a hobby.
Thank God for people who are able to see the horses as sentient beings and have the wherewithal to save them from being brutally exploited.
Thank you, Mary, for writing yet another factual and poignant story documenting what racing subjects their unwanted and no longer profitable horses to.
The fact that the business takes absolutely no responsibility for the horses leaves no doubt they are a disposable commodity.
The part about the original owners “attempting” to save Rocket made no sense because you don’t “attempt” to save the horse , you do it.
And Linda Robbins needs to understand the “extortion” is very real and it exists because racing dumps their horses in the slaughter pipe line and walks away.
Please stop targeting Bob Baffert.
Sharon Leigh Garner
In our experience university equine programs can be horrible! At our Alma Mater many donated horses with the stipulation that they were never to be sold again. Were sold! Some were well bred & good conformed horses. All breeds,Arabians, 1/4 horses, Thoroughbreds,Morgans ,etc. At that time here in Oregon we had several auctions where most anyone knew where they went. Good for the rescue not to give the horse back to the original owners!