From the Racetrack to a New Partnership: Treason Finds His Home with Nicola MacLeod
Graded stakes winner enjoying his second chapter
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When Nicola MacLeod lost her beloved thoroughbred, Flash, in March, she wasn’t sure she was ready to open her heart to another horse.
For six years, Flash had been her partner in the show ring, helping her build confidence and achieve more than she had imagined. Losing him left a void that couldn’t easily be filled.
But sometimes, a new beginning arrives when you least expect it.
The idea of welcoming another horse into her life so soon brought a myriad of mixed emotions and unanswered questions, something her mother, Katie, understood.
“Flash meant so much to her for the time they were together,” said Katie. “He gave her so much confidence and they accomplished so much together. It was heartbreaking when we lost him.”
After much contemplation and countless conversations with family and friends, Nicola opened her laptop and began browsing the internet, unsure of what she would find.
During one of her searches, she came across the Instagram page of the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.
That was where Nicola, then 17, first spotted a handsome bay gelding named Treason. Following his retirement from racing, he had been donated to LongRun by his owners, LNJ Foxwoods and MSK Racing Ventures, and trainer Josie Carroll.
Something clicked.
“I started looking for a new horse that I could train and bring along, and then I saw a photo of Treason. I couldn’t stop looking at it.”
Soon after, she submitted an application to LongRun and waited anxiously for a reply.
“We were hoping we got matched up with Treason, which we did,” said Nicola. “We were also matched with another LongRun horse, so we went to see them soon after.”
Nicola was about to meet a horse with a brief but successful racing career.
An eight-year-old son of Constitution out of the Speightstown mare Cougarstown, Treason made 10 starts, winning three, including the 2023 Grade 3 Eclipse Stakes.
Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, Treason made his final start on Oct. 7, 2023, finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Autumn Stakes.
In April, Nicola and Treason met in person.
She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it didn’t take long for her to find her answer.
“I just instantly felt connected to him. The people at LongRun said he was putting his best foot forward to meet us. He was so sweet. They said he had a lot of energy, but he was very calm when I met him. I also got to ride him that day.
“All the photos and stories on the LongRun page are great, but he stood out to me. Meeting him was the cherry on top of the ice cream.”
Days later, Nicola received an email confirming that her application had been accepted.
“When we found out the news, she was so thrilled,” recalled Katie.
On Apr. 17, Treason was on a trailer and headed to his new home just north of Glen Williams, a hamlet in Halton Hills, Ont.
“He was quite nervous when he got to our farm,” recalled Nicola. “We have two other OTTBs and one pony. We walked him around a bit and after a short time, he fit right in with our herd.”
Treason, now known as Toby, quickly formed a connection with Nicola, too.
He also helped her heal.
“When I brought him home, it was exciting, but it was hard,” said Nicola. “I had just lost my other horse, and we made such an amazing team. But once Toby and I got to know one another – maybe, a few days or so – we started training and that bond between us came naturally.”
Katie had a front-row seat to their growing connection.
“Nicola has a very calm, quiet confidence, which I have seen horses like. Toby is no exception. He loves her and it is so sweet. They are so great together. They are the picture of happiness.”
Over the past six months, Nicola and Toby have steadily built their mutual trust, taking on new challenges and learning more about one another along the way.
Nicola, who is working towards her Bachelor of Science in nursing at Conestoga College, has discovered many things about her beloved gelding, including his inquisitive nature.
“He’s got a very curious personality. He likes to look at everything around him. He’s not scared of new things — he’s just very curious about it all.
“He’s been so amazing. My riding coach, Holly Jacks, just loves him. Toby and I started training and doing some small jumping. We took him off the property a few times to a small cross-country school. He got introduced to the water. He’s so brave. He also did a couple of logs as well.”
Toby has also revealed another defining characteristic: an enthusiastic appetite.
“He gets very excited for breakfast and dinner. He likes the Stud Muffins with the little mint on top. He always has his ears pricked when you bring him his food. He’s so cute.”
The horse who sold for $150,000 at the 2021 Keeneland Association Breeding Stock Sale is also something of a head-turner.
Nicola, now 18, recalled the day one of her sister’s friends visited the family farm and immediately took notice of Toby.
“We love the way he looks. He’s so handsome. My sister’s friend – she also does Eventing – came to our place one day and she saw him in the field. She said, ‘He is so gorgeous.’ And he is.”
For Nicola, finding Toby has been an added blessing: a chance to offer a deserving Thoroughbred a soft landing after his racing career, and understanding that moving forward doesn’t mean leaving the past behind.
Flash will always hold an irreplaceable place in her life, but with Toby, a new partnership has already begun to write its own story.
“I love what LongRun does for these horses and how they find them their forever homes,” said Nicola. “My experience with LongRun was great. I got matched with Toby, so I will always be grateful to them.”
As for the future, Nicola is content to take things one canter and one jump at a time.
“Next year, I’m hoping to do some entry-level events or maybe some Kindergarten events to start out. If all goes well next season, I was hoping to go to the Eastern Canadian Championships for low-level competition. But whatever we do, we will always believe in one another and be there for each other.”
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
