Over the weekend, members of the Thoroughbred racing industry competed in The Real Rider Cup at New Vocations in support of Thoroughbred aftercare, including some of our very own Horse Country members!
The Real Rider Cup is a charity competition in which racing industry personalities pair up with retired Thoroughbred racehorses to compete in show jumping class. Their goal is to raise a minimum of $1,000 per rider to directly support the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program and the Retired Racehorse Project.
The event brings together employees of breeding and racing operations, media professionals, trainers, jockeys, owners and more in support of Thoroughbred aftercare! The Real Rider Cup was first held in 2017, and went virtual for 2021 and 2022. This is the first year that the event will be held in two locations – Kentucky and Maryland.
Thirty riders competed over the course of jumps, as both individuals and team, in Lexington, Kentucky at New Vocations’ Mereworth Farm. The riders wore silks of their choice – either their employers, sponsors or a connection to their horse on the racetrack! Airdrie Stud, Godolphin, Lane’s End Farm, Stonestreet Farm and WinStar Farm saw their silks donned for the event.
Airdrie Stud was represented by Jocelyn Brooks, Director of Sales, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute was represented by Mary Sheerin, Marketing Manager, and Hallway Feeds was represented by Kara Knochelmann, Customer Service Specialist. Both Jocelyn and Mary also serve as the Horse Country tour guides for their respective locations!
Jesslyn Woodall, sporting the WinStar Farm silks won the individual division, and Team Blood-Horse (Jesslyn Woodall, John Ennis and Lauren Gash) took home the victory in the team event.
As of Saturday evening, the Lexington leg of the Real Rider Cup had raised over $90,000 for Thoroughbred aftercare! Congratulations to everyone involved, and we can’t wait to tune in for the Maryland leg later this year. For more information on the Real Rider Cup, please visit their website.
Catching up with former racehorses in their current careers
If you’re going on a Horse Country tour, odds are that you’ll see a future champion or parent of one of those champions. But did you know those championships may not be earned on the racetrack?
It isn’t rare to see Thoroughbreds in the horse show ring or serving their community as a police horse (you can read more about those careers here). Many successful former racehorses have had outstanding second careers as well, and even those who didn’t take to life on the track have found their calling in other disciplines. There are the well known Hall of Famers, like Idle Dice, Keen, Jet Run, and Touch of Class, but let us introduce you to a few off-track Thoroughbreds who are currently active in second careers:
Photo: Margie Shoop
Sam P. – Running in one of the best crops of 3-year-olds this century, Sam P. held his own on the Triple Crown trail when finishing on the board in multiple Kentucky Derby preps to earn his spot in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. While he finished ninth in the Run for the Roses, won by Darley resident Street Sense (who you can visit when going on a tour of Jonabell), he proved to be a good racehorse until his retirement in 2010, when he went to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption. He was adopted by Laura Vorwerk, and the pair has turned into a successful dressage team.
Blackfoot Mystery – Bred to be a star on the track, Blackfoot Mystery had other plans. He showed after three starts that racing wasn’t for him, so trainer Jesus Mendoza quickly decided to listen to the gelding and contacted Thoroughbred Rehab Center president and CEO Leigh Gray. The gelding made his way into eventing where he eventually caught the eye of Olympian Boyd Martin when Martin was giving lessons to the gelding’s rider. Martin ended up buying Blackfoot Mystery and they competed at some of the biggest events in the world, including the Kentucky Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park and the 2016 Summer Olympics where they individually finished 16th.
Icabad Crane – Icabad Crane has been the total package for both his racing and show connections. Third in the 2008 Preakness Stakes when trained by aftercare supporter Graham Motion, Motion and Olympic eventer Phillip Dutton teamed up to make Icabad Crane an eventer with the gelding winning the “America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred” award at the first Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. Dutton’s daughter Olivia took over the mount from her father in 2017 with the pair competing in advanced levels of eventing. The Dutton/Motion partnership has also seen Dutton train former Motion trainees such as grade 1 winner Ring Weekend, former Michael Phelps-owned Water Cube, and FEI-level eventer Sea of Clouds.
Mister Marti Gras – For many, earning a more than $1 million in only a few short years would be reason enough to retire and slow down. Mister Marti Gras made it clear that life wasn’t for him. Winning multiple graded stakes in his eight-year racing career, Mister Marti Gras wasn’t about to let the opportunity to be successful at a second career pass him by, and he transitioned to eventing after finding his new owner Mandy Alexander. The gelding’s first big post-racing appearance came at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington in the fall of 2017 when he competed in the Thoroughbred Makeover, where much like his racing career, he proved to be successful when finishing second in the field hunter division.
Photo: Suzie Picou Oldham
Smart Gorky – One of the most popular eventers in the world Smart Gorky – or Donner, as he’s known to his eventing fans – is also one of the most accomplished U.S. eventers currently competing. Donner never had any desire to race, with his best finish coming 10 lengths behind the winner, but that hasn’t been the case in his second career. He has competed in 36 FEI events (the top levels of eventing) and represented the U.S. multiple times with a gold medal earned at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ridden by Lynn Symansky, the pair celebrated their 10 year anniversary together in 2018.
Raja’s Best Dancer – Raja’s Best Dancer isn’t a name you’ll recognize from the track, only winning twice races and earning a little over $7,000 in his racing career. However, if you’ve attended a Super Bowl or visited an event with a police presence in Sarasota County, Florida, you’ve probably seen him. Renamed SSO Valor, he’s currently a police horse on the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office’s force. This trusty steed has served for 15 years and was named The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.)’s non-competition Thoroughbred of the Year Award winner in 2017. He still proudly serves on the unit and has crowd control at the Super Bowl among the many duties on his résumé.
Photo: Erika Leigh Portraits
Xin Xu Lin – If you’re going on a Horse Country tour of Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, you’re visiting the former home of Brazilian Horse of the Year Xin Xu Lin. Xin Xu Lin was quite the world traveler after winning multiple top-level events in his home country. He won a group 1 race in Argentina and then shipped to Dubai to run before making his way to the United States. He was retired to the Secretariat Center after two off-the-board finishes in the U.S. and was adopted by Kasia Jaskowska. In his second career, Xin Xu Lin is a show jumping and dressage mount for Jaskowska in Maryland.
Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center and New Vocations are Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations. Learn more about TAA and its accreditation at ThoroughbredAftercare.org.
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are so excited to announce the first ever Claiborne Farm Runhappy 5K! Come enjoy the rolling hills of the Bluegrass at one of the most iconic and storied Thoroughbred farms. Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky has been a historic Thoroughbred operation for over 100 years. Founded in 1910, the farm has been owned and operated by the Hancock family and is the birthplace of more than 80 Champion racehorses and is the final resting place for the legendary Triple Crown winner, Secretariat. This is a rare opportunity to run or walk through the broodmare and foaling division of Claiborne Farm!
This inaugural race celebrates the racing career of Claiborne Farm stallion and Champion Sprinter, Runhappy, who retired to stud in 2017. Runhappy received the accolades of Eclipse Champion Sprinter and Eclipse Champion 3-year-old in 2015. He is a three-time Grade 1 winning millionaire who was undefeated 7 for 7 in sprinting competition including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and the Grade 1 King’s Bishop.
You can register for this special 5K (or the 1 mile fun walk/run!) at the official race site here – but we encourage you do it soon…there are only a limited number of spots available!
We are happy to announce that all proceeds from the inaugural Claiborne Farm Runhappy 5K will be going to TAA-accredited Second Stride. Second Stride is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization providing professional rehabilitation, retraining, and placement for retired thoroughbred racehorses in qualified homes so that they may reach their full potential in a productive second career. To learn more, visit their website.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row]
John Phillips is the president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and owner of family owned Darby Dan Farm. A third-generation horseman, John is an active member of the equine community. We sat down with Phillips for his trusted word on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Here’s what he had to say.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
What does “aftercare” mean?
“Aftercare means the care of Thoroughbreds after their racing careers are finished. It is Thoroughbred racing’s efforts to assure that Thoroughbreds have a safe landing off the racetrack after racing. Mostly it means getting a horse ready for another career, as racing is only a short part of a horse’s life. Thoroughbreds are incredible athletes. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, known as the TAA, has 64 accredited organizations with 164 facilities across North America with the majority of these organizations training Thoroughbreds for these new careers. They are hands-on organizations that the racing industry is proud of and are fascinating to see. Thousands of horses go through these facilities each year, resulting in Thoroughbreds finding success in second careers as Olympic-level jumpers to police horses and more.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2542″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” qode_css_animation=””][vc_separator type=”normal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why would you encourage visitors to include Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance- accredited organizations, such as Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center or Kentucky Equine Humane Center, in their Horse Country Tours?
“Fans of the sport should see what our equine athletes are capable of after their racing careers are finished. Being able to tour these TAA-accredited facilities and learn about the work being done shows that these horses are successful in other non-racing careers – that’s something the racing industry is proud of and wants to show off.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2583″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]What kinds of things will someone see while visiting a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization?
“Each TAA-accredited organization is different, some focus on retaining or rehab to prepare horses for second careers, some are sanctuaries for retired horses, and others use Thoroughbreds as part of equine-human therapy. The Kentucky Equine Humane Center does phenomenal rehabilitation work and helps Thoroughbreds – and all breeds of equines – find homes, while the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center is a premier off-track Thoroughbred re- schooling and retraining organization located at the Kentucky Horse Park.”[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_single_image image=”2581″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][qode_simple_quote background_color=”#aee3e4″ simple_quote_text=”Being able to tour these TAA-accredited facilities and learn about the work being done shows that these horses are successful in other non-racing careers – that’s something the racing industry is proud of and wants to show off.“” simple_quote_author=”John Phillips, TAA President” quote_symbol_color=”#ffffff”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why is aftercare an important part of the story to tell when talking about the Thoroughbred industry in Kentucky?
“All good horsemen love the sport of racing and their horses. If the sport doesn’t take responsibility for horses at every level, then the breed, the sport, and the culture around it may not survive. Aftercare is a key part of that responsibility. And in horse-centric Kentucky, we are lucky to be surrounded by some aftercare organizations that are doing phenomenal work.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2541″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” qode_css_animation=””][vc_separator type=”normal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]What can someone do to get involved to help support Thoroughbred aftercare efforts?
“Tour the TAA-accredited facilities and learn about the work they do. Those who want to support the TAA’s efforts can donate to the TAA. The TAA uses its funds to accredited and physically inspect organizations to make sure they are up to the TAA’s code of standards, and the TAA also gives grants to organizations earmarked specifically for equine care.
Another way to get involved is to find accredited organization in your area and see if they need volunteers.
And of course, talking about and sharing the message of accredited, responsible aftercare is important.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2551″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” qode_css_animation=””][vc_separator type=”normal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]How do I learn more about aftercare or find an accredited facility in my area? “The TAA website has information about aftercare, the TAA accreditation process, a list of accredited organizations, and more. Visit ThoroughbredAftercare.org.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]
We extend a big Horse Country thank you to John for sharing about the TAA today. If you have questions or would like to get involved with aftercare efforts, or to tour a TAA-accredited Horse Country location, we’d love to chat! You can reach one of our team members at 859-963-1004 or info@visithorsecountry.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
