The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington provided a stunning backdrop to the first day of competition. Photo by Captivation Media

The first day of preliminary competition has wrapped at the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The banner event of the Retired Racehorse Project, the Thoroughbred Makeover is the largest retraining competition in North America for recently-retired racehorses and former broodmares, showcasing the athleticism and trainability of the Thoroughbred beyond racing.

Over 270 horses are competing over two days in one or two of ten sport disciplines: Barrel Racing, Competitive Trail, Dressage, Eventing, Field Hunter, Polo, Ranch Work, Show Hunter, and Show Jumper. Competition today took place in eight of those disciplines; Polo and Freestyle will run tomorrow.

Graded stakes winner Cavalry Charge and Erin Knehr competed in Show Hunter. Cavalry Charge was raced by West Point Thoroughbreds and partners; West Point Thoroughbreds was in attendance today to cheer Cavalry Charge on. Photo by Captivation Media.

Most disciplines will continue through Thursday, with the exception of Ranch Work, which concluded today. The preliminary winner of Ranch Work is Eagle Feather, trained by adult amateur Colton Thacker, a local equine veterinarian at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. Eagle Feather (Honor Code – Striking Style, by Smart Strike) is a 2019 dark bay/brown gelding bred in Kentucky by Bill Harrigan, Mike Pietrangelo & Caldara Farm Inc. He was a $75,000 weanling purchase at Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, consigned by Lane’s End and sold to Calumet Farm. He made three starts and never hit the board, retiring with $2,155. Eagle Feather was retired with Thacker, who had formed a connection with the horse when first working with him as a patient in 2021.

Preliminary winners (discipline winners, first place amateurs, juniors and teams, plus all special award winners) will be honored at Friday night’s awards party, sponsored by University of Louisville and Wasabi Aftercare Fund. The top five horses in each discipline will return for the Finale Championships on Saturday, competing for $100,000 in total prize money and a shot at the overall title of Thoroughbred Makeover Champion, sponsored by Churchill Downs, Inc.

Scoring is now complete for the first day of competition, and can be viewed here.

The personalities of the individual horses are on full display at the Thoroughbred Makeover. Photo by Captivation Media

All competing horses passed the Arrival Exam, a process designed to help horses meet basic standards in overall health, body condition and soundness during their time of transition from racing to second careers. A team of veterinarians from official veterinary partner Hagyard Equine Medical Institute as well as volunteers from other institutions, assisted by 25 veterinary students, checked vitals and body condition as well as conducted a basic walking soundness exam. The Arrival Exam is sponsored by Keeneland, with additional support from After the Finish Line.

The Thoroughbred Makeover includes not only competition, but educational and networking opportunities as well. Today’s seminar was sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and featured board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Stephanie Bell, who led a discussion about equine ocular emergencies. Aftercare Afterhours also took place today at Secretariat Center on the Kentucky Horse Park grounds, co-produced by Secretariat Center and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, offering all with a professional interest in aftercare from all aspects of the aftercare industry – both for- and non-profit – an evening of networking.

Horse shoppers and adopters have a unique opportunity to find their perfect next partner through the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace and the ASPCA Right Horse Adoption Barn. The Marketplace is an optional sale for horses entered in the Thoroughbred Makeover, granting shoppers a one-of-a-kind experience in watching horses perform in a competition environment, take trial rides in a designated arena, and schedule pre-purchase exams with vets on call from Hagyard. The ASPCA Right Horse Adoption Barn includes adoptable Thoroughbreds from all stages of life from participating Right Horse partner organizations. Potential adopters looking for a Thoroughbred of their own can take a look at adoptable horses in Barn 5.

Other ongoing activities at the Thoroughbred Makeover include the Vendor Fair, as well as the Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction, sponsored by Thor-Bred Stables, LLC. View items on display in the TCA Covered Arena concourse, and bid online here.

See additional event coverage on Retired Racehorse Project social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and Tiktok.