Retired Racehorse Project

Ten champions were crowned Saturday in Kentucky at the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The event offered over $139,000 in prize money awarded out across 10 equestrian sports. The winners included: Barrel Racing: Battle Born (More Than Ready), trained by Elizabeth King (Junior), bred by WinStar Farm, owned by Robert D. Shelburne. Competitive Trail, sponsored by Godolphin: Vestal's Gap (Bullsbay), trained by Nathan Bowers, bred by Sterbenz Racing LLC, owned by Sterbenz Racing LLC. Dressage, sponsored by PTHA's Turning For Home: Patou Road...

Over the course of four seasons at the racetrack, Sibelius (Not This Time) took his connections on the ride of a lifetime. The well-traveled gelding made 27 starts at 14 tracks, including two international trips to Meydan Racecourse. During his career, he established himself as a three-time group/graded stakes winner, highlighted by an elite-level victory in the 2023 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. Many who think of Sibelius may reflect on his race record, with six of his nine wins secured at the black-type level while earning just over $1.8 million....

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will serve as a sponsor of the Freestyle discipline at this year's Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 8-11. The event is designed to showcase the talent and versatility of off-track Thoroughbreds, while supporting their transition to successful second careers. The Freestyle discipline will take place Oct. 9 in the Covered Arena beginning at 8 a.m. This discipline is a free-form competition designed...

The list of former breeders, owners, trainers, stallion farms and other connections participating in the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) Makeover Champions, an initiative to encourage more public support of Thoroughbreds in careers beyond racing via the Thoroughbred Makeover, was unveiled Wednesday morning. Makeover Champions have pledged to share updates about their former connected horses that are participating in next week's Thoroughbred Makeover, the largest and most lucrative retraining competition in North America for recently-retired racehorses and former broodmares. Additionally, many participating Champions will attend the event in person to connect...

Multiple Graded/Group winner Drafted (Field Commission) has been named the 2025 Bill Kraatz Thoroughbred Makeover Ambassador Award recipient, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced Friday morning. Named for the late past chief steward Bill Kraatz, the award recognizes a graduate horse that has gone on to serve as an ambassador for the athleticism and trainability of retired racehorses in their career beyond racing. Selected by a committee of Makeover officials, Drafted will be presented as the newest member of the honor roll. A millionaire on track, and a globetrotter who...

Eleven months after her retirement from racing, Mel's Baby Sister made a return to Saratoga to collect her Down Broadway Award as New York's Retired Racehorse of the Year as decided by the voting public via an online poll. The prize is named in honor of the first horse to retire though the Take The Lead program back in 2013. Mel's Baby Sister race in the colors of August Dawn Farm and was trained by Melanie Giddings to a lone career victory before ultimately retiring after two unplaced efforts during...

Donations of items and experiences are now being accepted by the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction. The annual auction raises funds to support the production of the Thoroughbred Makeover and the advancement of the RRP's mission to increase demand for Thoroughbreds beyond racing through education, inspiration, and service. Popular contributions to the auction in the past have included experiences such as polo lessons or fox hunting, racing memorabilia such as stallion halters and shoes, equestrian or racing artwork, tack and stable items, and hotel stays or race day...

The Lexington leg of the Real Rider Cup, held June 28 at New Vocations at Mereworth Farm raised over $57,000 to support Thoroughbred aftercare efforts. The charity show jumping competition brings together personalities from across the breeding and racing industry to increase awareness and raise funds for Beyond the Wire, New Vocations, and the Retired Racehorse Project, with each rider pledging to raise at least $1,000. Kristin VanMeter and Hardesty won the individual competition, and VanMeter's Team Stockplace, which included Gina Gans, Mary Motion, and Avery Wismer, prevailed as the...

The nomination period for the 2025 Bill Kraatz Thoroughbred Makeover Ambassador Award is now open, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced Monday afternoon. Named in the memory of chief steward Bill Kraatz, the award recognizes a Makeover graduate horse who has gone on to serve as ambassador for the athleticism and trainability of retired racehorses beyond their racing careers. Eligible horses include any Thoroughbred Makeover graduate who was registered for the retraining competition--even if he or she ultimately did not compete--regardless of who now owns said horse. Nominations, which will...

About a year ago, RRP executive director Kirsten Green mused about a future in which we might see a headline such as "Leading sire X has prolific influence on track and beyond, produces record number of 5* starters." A year later, that's almost exactly the headline I just got to write, which is thrilling as a fan of both racing and equestrian sport: the late Malibu Moon, inarguably an influential sire of Thoroughbred racehorses, is also leaving a lasting impact on equestrian sport. Malibu Moon's three starters are contesting the...

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages retraining Thoroughbreds into other disciplines after their racing or breeding careers end, has revealed winners and other placings from its 2024 Performance Awards Program, the group announced Friday morning. Created to recognize the Thoroughbreds who accumulated the most points at all horse shows at a wide variety of disciplines and experience levels, the program counted 691 horses from 44 states and five Canadian provinces in 2024. They competed in more than 14,000 classes, divisions, and events with division awards being calculated...

Owing to a donation by James and Shari Ough, prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will be increased by $25,000 over the next five years, beginning with this year's event, officials at the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced Thursday. This will allow payouts through 10th place for the new championship format that debuts this year, which welcomes back the top 10 highest-placed horses in the Retiring Racehorse division for a championship round of competition. Total prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will increase to $139,000 as a result of the...