Photo by Captivation Media

The first day of preliminary competition at the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, has concluded and scores are now posted. 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 and inspiring more equestrians to partner with the breed.

Over 240 horses are competing over two days in one or two of ten sport disciplines, including Barrel Racing, Competitive Trail, Dressage, Eventing, Field Hunter, Freestyle, Polo, Ranch Work, Show Hunter and Show Jumper. Competition took place in eight of those disciplines today; Freestyle and Polo will take place on Thursday.

Preliminary competition in most of today’s disciplines will conclude tomorrow, with the exception of Ranch Work which ran in its entirety today. The preliminary round winner is Miz Mosler (Mosler – Tiz Heaven, by Tizdejavu), a 2021 mare bred in Maryland by W. Robert Bailes. She is unraced, and trained for the Makeover by B.J. Heffelfinger. See tomorrow’s press release for more about Miz Mosler.

All preliminary winners – discipline winners, as well as first place amateurs, juniors, teams, and special award winners – will be honored at the Awards Party on Saturday night, presented with support from McIntosh Group, University of Louisville and Wasabi Aftercare Fund. The top ten horses in each discipline will return to Saturday’s Championships in a new format for 2025, competing on blank slate scores for $139,000 in total prize money.

Scoring will finalize for the day in other disciplines throughout the evening, and can be viewed here.

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 new careers. A team of veterinarians, assisted by 26 veterinary students from 15 schools, checked vitals and body condition as well as conducted a basic walking soundness exam. The Arrival Exam effort is supported by the Health and Wellness Initiative, including Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Radiology Rules, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Merck Animal Health, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, and Zoetis Equine.

Horse shoppers and adopters will find plenty to love in the Makeover Marketplace, sponsored by Churchill Downs, Incorporated. The Marketplace is an optional sale for horses entered in the Thoroughbred Makeover, granting shoppers the unique experience of watching horses perform in competition, taking trial rides in a designated arena, and scheduling pre-purchase exams with on-call vets from Hagyard. The Marketplace catalog is available in print at the show office, as well as online.

Other ongoing activities at the Thoroughbred Makeover include Vendor Row, moved this year to the tent row on Jay Trump Drive, as well as the annual Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction, sponsored by Thor-Bred Stables, LLC. View items on display in the RRP Tent, and bid online here.

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