Bay gelding, 2000, Colonial Affair—Ms. Forte, by Sewickley (NY)
BIOGRAPHY: Traffic Chief was bred and raced by Barry K. Schwartz and trained by Mike Hushion. He competed in 12 races, earning $299,428, including wins in the Albany Stakes at Saratoga and the New York Derby at Finger Lakes. ACTT Naturally Founder Valerie Buck was Traffic Chief’s exercise rider. When he was 5 years old and it appeared he was no longer going to be competitive on the track, she offered to give him a home.
Traffic Chief is the founding member of ACTT Naturally. Over the past 19 years, Chief has been a kind but reliant leader for the dozens of horses that find their way here when their racing careers have ended, teaching them to be herd members and to speak their own language again. In addition, Chief has been participating in ACTT Naturally’s Hearts in Harmony equine facilitated therapy programs offered to veterans who are struggling through life. Chief loves lending his peaceful soul to the people who come to ACTT Naturally for healing.
WHY TRAFFIC CHIEF DESERVES YOUR VOTE: “I am nominating Traffic Chief because he has shown that a Thoroughbred leaving their racing career behind can have so much to offer,” Valerie Buck said. “His work in helping humans heal is the best second career a horse could have.”
