Ferdinand (March 12, 1983 – 2002) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic and was the 1987 Horse of the Year.
Much to the outrage of many horse racing enthusiasts, reports indicate that in 2002, Ferdinand was sent to slaughter in Japan with no fanfare or notice to previous owners.
In the summer of 2006, the New York Owners and Breeders' Association, based in Saratoga Springs, New York, initiated the small voluntary per-race charge (collected from owners of NY Breeds) called the "Ferdinand Fee" that will funnel the revenue to Bluegrass Charities and the Thoroughbred Charities of America, two organizations that help fund race horse rescue and retirement groups.
Another small step in maintaining the safety of Thoroughbreds sent to breeding sheds around the world: Some owners are now including buy-back clauses within their stallion contracts.
His owners tried to place him in a riding club without any success, and left Arrow Stud on February 3, 2001, in the hands of Yoshikazu Watanabe, a horse dealer.