About Wasabi Aftercare Fund
Wasabi Aftercare Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on the safe and secure retirement of Thoroughbreds that were bred and/or raced by Wasabi Ventures Stables. As of July 2026, Wasabi Aftercare Fund has assisted in the retirement of fifty-three current and former Wasabi Ventures Stables horses.
Our Executive Director, Michele Pesula Kuegler, tracks all current and former Wasabi Ventures Stables horses, including horses in the racing and breeding programs. When former Wasabi horses are inactive for a set amount of time, she reaches out to the owner and/or trainer for updates.
Additionally, Wasabi Aftercare Fund educates the public about Thoroughbred aftercare in general. Regular updates are provided on many of the WVS retirees, focusing on careers and opportunities for racehorses once their racing careers end. Wasabi Aftercare Fund also publishes interviews and podcasts with other aftercare organizations to shine a spotlight on the groups and individuals dedicated to Thoroughbreds of all ages and abilities. It is the hope that content such as this will bring more awareness to this category of Thoroughbreds.
Every Thoroughbred deserves a happily ever after.
Michele Pesula Kuegler is the Founder and Executive Director of Wasabi Aftercare Fund, which focuses on the safe and secure retirement of Thoroughbreds. Prior to Wasabi Aftercare Fund, Ms. Pesula Kuegler was the Director of Aftercare and Community at Wasabi Ventures Stables (WVS). Building on her love of animals and the support of the WVS club members, she created Wasabi Aftercare Fund, which concentrates on horses who have run or were bred by WVS. She applied skills from her earlier careers as an elementary school teacher, CEO of her own online publishing company, and program director to develop Wasabi Aftercare Fund from a glimmer of an idea to a thriving nonprofit that has assisted in the retirement of 37 horses.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jen Roytz is a marketing and communications specialist based in Central Kentucky with a professional background in Thoroughbred aftercare. Over the past 10 years, Roytz served in the capacities of board member, marketing consultant and for the past four years as executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project, a nonprofit organization that works to increase demand for Thoroughbreds after racing, a role from which she stepped down at the end of 2021. Previously, Jen was the marketing director for Three Chimneys Farm, where she also served as the aftercare liaison for the farm and its clients.
After a short career as a corporate attorney, George decided to follow his passion and embarked on a career in the Thoroughbred industry in 2012. He established his Housatonic Bloodstock LLC in 2014, which provides pedigree analysis and mating recommendations to clients, as well as assistance identifying and inspecting potential purchases both privately and at auction. He also serves as the Director of Stallions and Breeding for Wasabi Ventures Stables. His prior industry experience included stints at Claiborne Farm, Country Life Farm, and Shug McGaughey.
Brit Vegas is a professional trainer that specializes in restarting Thoroughbreds for equestrian sports, such as eventing, show jumping, fox hunting, and other English disciplines. She owns and operates Royal Fox Stables in Southeast Nebraska with a winter base in Aiken, South Carolina. In addition to campaigning her own horses through the Intermediate level of eventing, Vegas also retrains and sells between 50 and 70 Thoroughbreds per year and has competed in the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover each year since 2015 with multiple Top 5 finishes in eventing, show jumping and field hunters. In addition, she manages her husband, Dr. Adam Gengenbach’s sport horse veterinary practice.
Michael Slezak is a bloodstock agent based in Jersey City, NJ. He specializes in purchasing or claiming broodmare prospects off the racetrack, including the dams of graded stakes winners Classic Q, Willy D’s and Speed King, and half-sisters to Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Tiz the Law, and multiple Grade 1 winner Cave Rock. He is also the co-breeder of Grade 1 winner and millionaire Trikari. A former entertainment journalist who spent 15 years obsessively covering American Idol, Slezak has a tendency to root for the plucky underdog — whether it’s on the racetrack or the reality TV stage.
Jessica Hammond is the Director of Benevolence and Counseling for
the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the Executive
Director of Beyond the Wire, where she oversees statewide aftercare
efforts for retired racehorses. She holds a bachelor’s degree in
psychology from Towson University and has dedicated her career to
combining her backgrounds in mental health, social services, and the
Thoroughbred industry to improve the lives of both horses and the
people who care for them. She has testified before the Maryland
House of Delegates on equine welfare issues, speaks nationally on
Thoroughbred aftercare, and has helped place more than 1,000 retired
racehorses into accredited aftercare programs. Jessica’s commitment
to the industry extends beyond her professional roles; her husband
has worked in Thoroughbred racing throughout his life, and her son
is part of the industry in Kentucky. Together, their family’s
involvement reflects a lifelong dedication to the welfare and future
of the Thoroughbred community.
Rick Weldon is the co-founder of Jenrick Thoroughbreds, LLC, a
racing and bloodstock venture focused on building a thoughtful,
long-term presence in the Thoroughbred industry. Through Jenrick
Thoroughbreds, Rick participates in racehorse ownership, yearling
acquisitions, racing partnerships, and select pinhooking
opportunities. Rick’s involvement in the industry reflects a
long-standing passion for Thoroughbred racing, sales, and
responsible ownership. His service with Wasabi Aftercare is rooted
in the belief that every racehorse deserves support beyond the
racetrack and the opportunity for a safe, meaningful second chapter
after racing.