CHARI was brought to our attention in early December of 2021.She had been abandoned on a slaughter-bound feedlot in Louisiana. The broker pleaded with us to take her, in his words, “Chari will not survive on the lot, she needs to get off right now – and she is pregnant.” We confirmed that Chari had been bred, but with her body wasting from malnourishment, maintaining a pregnancy at her age, and in her condition would be impossible.
When Chari arrived at Unbridled on December 31, 2021 along with Miss Ruud and Generation Of Love, she was defeated, emaciated, and exhausted. She and Miss Ruud came from the same feedlot. Through quarantine and shipping together they formed a deep friendship. Miss Ruud, the protector, Chari, a steady presence of support for her moody and very pregnant friend.
In the Stable, Miss Ruud kept a watchful eye on Chari in the adjoining stall. They nuzzled and sometimes bickered when Chari came too near to Miss Ruud’s cribbing board. Chari yielded to the whims of Miss Ruud and carried on with matters in her own stall. The ‘Girls’ enjoyed their turn-out together. Chari was slow moving, and Miss Ruud far more rambunctious. They seemed to be the opposites that attracted.
Chari would light up when her human friends, Rachel, Paula, and Emily brought her treats, and offered her tender caresses and gentle grooming. Her depletion was tangible. She soaked up their unconditional love and savored the attention and comforts that she had been long denied.
Chari hailed from the richest of Thoroughbred pedigrees, she produced a stakes winner of over $300,000, and a winner of over $150,000. Chari served many people throughout her life. She had been bred year-after-year and thrown away. She was not safeguarded by TAA or TCA, nor any of her past connections – not one of them protected her, or provided for her retirement.
In the cruel and callous slaughter pipeline, Chari had been severely abused. Scars ran like train tracks through her beautiful white blaze, and a hand raised too quickly would send her reeling backward in terror.
In mid-February, Chari began expressing mild discomfort and tiredness. She was slowing down, and not herself. Her vital signs were normal, but her appetite began to wane – except for alfalfa and carrots. What ailed her from inside began long ago. Her decline escalated, and we yielded to the inevitable.
On the afternoon of March 3, 2022, we humanely and peaceably laid Chari to rest. With Miss Ruud by her side she let go without any struggle. We are so grateful to our Veterinarian Amy Serk, and our whole team at Unbridled who graciously facilitated a dignified passing for Chari, and time for Miss Ruud to say goodbye.
Chari Me On 🤍
Registered Name: Chari Me On
Born in Kentucky on April 19, 2001
Sired by Charismatic Out of Dream Motel by Relaunch
CHARI ME ON represents thousands of Thoroughbred Mares discarded annually to be violently killed in a slaughter plant. She did everything that had been asked of her, and when she became too old and too weak to continue producing foals she was thrown away into the horrors of the slaughter pipeline. Here is a bit of her history:
CHARI ME ON was to the manor born at Lane’s End Farm, a historic property encompassing more than 3,300 pristine acres in the heart of Central Kentucky. Lane’s End is one of the world’s premier Thoroughbred farms. She was bred into the Sport Of Kings by Will Farish, one of the American Kings of Thoroughbred Racing, and his Farm Manager of over three decades Michael H Cline.
CHARI ME ON is sired by CHARISMATIC. Charismatic earned over $2,000,000. As a three-year-old he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, and he finished third in the Belmont Stakes. In 1999, Charismatic was named Horse of the Year and Champion three-year-old Colt. William Farish is the co-breeder of Charismatic.
CHARI ME ON’s dam, DREAM MOTEL is a New-York Bred who Farish purchased at Keeneland in 1998 for $160,000. After producing foals for Lane’s End from 1999 to 2003, Farish sold Dream Motel at Keeneland in 2004 for $50,000.
CHARI ME ON’s granddam, SLEW PRINCESS is sired by the Triple Crown Champion Seattle Slew. As a yearling, she sold in Saratoga for $175,000. As a broodmare, she sold through Keeneland in January of 1996 for $300,000.
LILLIAN RUSSELL (1977), CHARI ME ON’s great-granddam, is a multiple graded stakes winner, and a half-sister to the iconic stallion Mr. Prospector. Lillian Russell was bred by Spendthrift Farms, in 1987, Lillian Russell sold at auction for $1,900,000.
CHARI ME ON’s fourth dam, GOLD DIGGER, aka her great-great-grandmother was foaled in Kentucky on May 28, 1962 at Spendthrift Farm. She had a stellar race career and was a multiple graded Stakes Winner, and produced the inimitable MR. PROSPECTOR.
GOLD DIGGER and three generations of her female line are buried at the former Old Kenney broodmare division of Spendthrift (now known as Green Gates Farm), including her dam, SEQUENCE, granddam MISS DOGWOOD, and great-granddam MYRTLEWOOD, a sprint champion and Combs' foundation mare. MYRTLEWOOD who is believed to be buried in the rose garden at the former Combs residence at Spendthrift.
SPENDTHRIFT FARM was one of the most important farms in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 1979, LANE’S END (according to their website) has helped shape the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Our team is driven by one mission: to help our partners achieve their breeding, sales and racing goals across the globe.
As a yearling, Lane’s End offered CHARI ME ON at Keeneland, she brought a top bid of $50,000 but it was not enough for Lane’s End to let her go. Chari Me On did not race. At the age of three she was mated with Lane’s End millionaire stallion King Cugat. In January of 2005, she returned to Keeneland and this time they let her go for a mere $4,200 to Ramiro L. Colon III. In 2007, at the age of six, Chari Me On returned for a third time to the Keeneland Sales Ring, this time carrying her fourth foal. She sold for $1,600 to Royal Kraft in Louisiana, and so began her descent into the cruel callous slaughter pipeline.
CHARI ME ON hails from the richest of Thoroughbred pedigrees, she produced a stakes winner of over $300,000, and a winner of over $150,000, and yet she had no retirement pasture waiting for her, nor any protection from suffering feedlots and being sorted for slaughter.
To help Unbridled to save, protect, and provide Sanctuary for senior mares like CHARI ME ON, make a donation in honor of CHARI.