LAST RACE RANCH

Joel Fihn, Co-Founder

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Joel’s love for horses began as a young teenager working for his dad who was a house painter making Joel work summers with him.  One summer, Joel’s father was hired to paint the Folger’s ranch in Portola Valley, California where Joel was blessed with the duty of sanding down the stalls and prepping them for a fresh coat of paint.  It was his first real encounter with horses and he bonded quickly with them.  Joel loved their kindness and playfulness, sniffing and nipping while he sanded their stall.  It got lonely out there, but time went by fast enjoying his time petting and talking with the horses all day. 

 

Fast forward to Joel’s college days at San Diego State, Joel spent many fun summers enjoying the Summer Meets at Del Mar and fell in love with horse racing.  Joel was fortunate to have a college friend who’s dad owned racehorses and had a box.  Joel got to spend many fun days with his friends learning about horse racing.  In 2010, his good friend, Mike Pender, who was a grade 1 winning trainer, asked him to come work with him on the business end of his racing operations.  This started as a side job, quickly grew into Joel’s primary business and the beginning of Fihn Racing.  For the past 12 years, Fihn Racing (race under Fihn Holdings, Inc) has put together many various ownership groups and have partnered with trainers on racehorse ventures.  Today, Fihn Racing is still very active with many talented beautiful racehorses with bright futures. 

 

However, there are horses at the track who are not meant for racing.  Not knowing where the retired racehorses went most of the time, Joel found himself fielding many questions from his concerned owners.  A horse, who isn’t a racehorse, doesn’t change that they are still very much worthy of all our love and care for them.  Racing is just one avenue, there are so many other places where they can flourish and grow into the horse they are meant to be.  This is Joel’s primary focus in starting Last Race Ranch with Trevor Lattin, to have first hand involvement into care for the racehorse after they leave the racetrack and help find their new life.

 

Trevor Lattin, Co-Founder

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Trevor is a business executive and family man who is passionate about animals.  Growing up with family trail horses, many animal family members, and involvement in 4-H,  Trevor became intrigued by this philanthropic opportunity where he could use his networking resources to give back to the welfare and betterment of racehorses who are in need.  Trevor and Joel have worked together as a team before in the investment management business and know each other’s strengths to make Last Race Ranch a huge success.  Success means to them that Last Race Ranch is consistently giving the retired racehorse the care they need in addition to finding them their new lives.