'Teacher,' 'Companion': Grade 1 Winner Forbidden Apple Dies At 30
The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) is deeply saddened to share the passing of Forbidden Apple, a cherished 30-year-old member of the TRF herd. Forbidden Apple was humanely euthanized on Monday, June 16, due to the infirmities of old age. Arriving at the TRF's Second Chances Program at Lowell Correctional Facility in Ocala, Florida on Aug. 2, 2013, Forbidden Apple spent the last 12 years of his life teaching, healing, and inspiring the incarcerated women of Lowell, who cared for him daily.A Grade 1 winner with lifetime earnings of $1.6 million, Forbidden Apple made 31 career starts, including three appearances in the prestigious Breeders' Cup Mile. Known for his brilliance on the turf, Forbidden Apple raced with heart and consistency, earning his place among racing's elite.
His time after racing was just as important as his time on the track. At Lowell, Forbidden Apple, affectionately known as 'Apple,' quickly became a favorite among Second Chances Program students and staff. His gentle demeanor, playful nature, and deep love for treats and grooming brushes made him both a teacher and a companion to all who knew him.Spoiled in all the right ways, Forbidden Apple enjoyed a peaceful retirement, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him every day. Whether trotting across the pasture or gently nosing a brush from a student's pocket, Forbidden Apple found a forever place in the hearts of everyone he met.Forbidden Apple lived a long and meaningful life, filled with success, love, and sanctity. The TRF family is especially grateful for the years he spent at Lowell, gently guiding and teaching the women in our Second Chances Program, and being a steady, four-legged friend to all who knew him.
To learn more about the TRF Second Chances Program or to support the care of horses like Forbidden Apple, please visit: https://www.trfinc.orgAbout TRF: Founded in 1983, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to dignified lifetime care for retired Thoroughbred racehorses. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their entire lifetime.Best known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At seven correctional facilities across the country this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for inmates upon release from prison.TRF cares for approximately 400 rescued and retired Thoroughbreds at Second Chances prison farms and Sanctuary Farms across the country. The organization is funded entirely by private donations. The TRF is accredited by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and has a Platinum rating with Guide Star. For more information visit: http://www.trfinc.org/
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
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