When it was announced in December that the tattoos used to identify racehorses would be discontinued by 2020, it seemed like a logical next step. From 2017 onward, all horses registered with The Jockey Club have to have a microchip, and racetracks must use microchip readers to identify horses, so in the years to come, tattoos will eventually become unnecessary as a means of identification.

But this question remains – how does the change affect racehorse aftercare?

In the fall of 2016, a conversation with friend Samantha Bussanich at Keeneland began the initial spark of what would become Nexus Racing Club. We had the common goal: bring young people closer to the sport. With help from Sophie Shore, we spent several months developing this idea. Two years later, we have grown into the only racing club for the younger generation that offers a connection to the sport through ownership experiences.