The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today the list of former breeders, owners, trainers, stallion farms and other connections participating in Makeover Champions, the RRP’s initiative to encourage more public support of Thoroughbreds in careers beyond racing via the Thoroughbred Makeover. Interested individuals and farms signed up to participate after the program was announced in August, and the RRP did some additional outreach. 

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 with the new owners and trainers of their former horses; Champions have signed on to volunteer at the event, and some have made monetary gifts to support the charitable mission of the RRP. 

“There’s a tremendous value in the visibility created by connections participating in Makeover Champions,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. “Highlighting the achievements of Thoroughbreds beyond their racing careers helps to dispel the narrative that the horses are somehow a failure when they move on to their next career, and a message of success and embracing the natural continuum of the Thoroughbred lifecycle is that much more powerful coming from those that produced the horses in the first place. Our entire team applauds this year’s group of Makeover Champions: thank you for your commitment to your horses!” 

The 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, takes place October 8-11 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Over 260 horses are expected to compete over the course of the week, with competition available in ten riding sports. The event is free and open to the public to attend. Learn more at TheRRP.org. 

2025 Makeover Champions: 

Breeders: 

Ambassador Earle I. Mack (Street Ready)
BTE Stables (Conspiractherapist)
Ehris Stables (King Of Comedy)
Evan Ferraro (Illusioned)
Glen Hill Farm (Lexi’s Spirit)
Godolphin (Battle Creek, Call West, Last Cookie, Phra Phrom, Prevalence, Remuda, Sanquist)
Hinkle Farms (Meet George Jetson)
Laura Donohoe (Akari)
Oak Rock Racing LLC (Akari)
PTK LLC (Gullane, Gunleather Al, Misfit Toy, Praline Pecan)
Repole Stable (Overwhelm)
Stonestreet Farms (Sarpedon)
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds (By My Side, Route Sixty Six)
Wertheimer & Frère (Salesman [IRE])
WinStar Farm (Battle Born, Hozier, Origami, Thunderstrike)
Woodslane Farm (Mythic Performance) 

Past Owners: 

Averill Racing (R Hot Mess)
BTE Stables (Conspiractherapist)
e Five Racing (Snarky)
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Avenue, Gray Magician, My Princess [IRE], Ritualistic)
Godolphin (Battle Creek, Last Cookie, Prevalence, Remuda, Sanquist)
Jose D’Angelo (Elusive Empire)
Laura Donohoe (Akari, Jeff the Lion)
Little Red Feather Racing (Annabelle’s Smile, La Peer)
Oak Rock Racing LLC (Akari)
Paterpop Racing (My Man Vito)
PTK LLC (Conure, Gullane, Gunleather Al, Praline Pecan, Sekt, The Pepsodent Show)
Repole Stable (Dynamic One, Money Magician, Patou Road, Quantity, Sole Risk)
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds (By My Side, Route Sixty Six)
Two Eight Racing (R Hot Mess)
Wertheimer & Frère (Salesman [IRE]) 

Past Trainers: 

Brad H. Cox (Bandon)
Eoin Harty (Remuda)
Jose D’Angelo (Elusive Empire)
Philip D’Amato (Annabelle’s Smile, La Peer)
Richard Mandella (Salesman [IRE])
Ryan Hanson (Big Rainbow) 

Stallion Farms Standing Sires of Makeover Horses: 

Claiborne Farm (Akari, Baby Fade, Bamboo Garden, Eddie Lea, Ginnsu Warrior, In The Numbers, Leo’s Roar, Lorenzen, Macassar, Masked)
Coolmore America (American d’Oro, Conure, Kittansett, Logan’s Red Falcon, Majestic Pharoah, Markitoff, Mentha, Miss Pretender, Mo’s Treasure, Moonlight Joker, No Foolin Mo, Qia, Revelatory, Sekt, Spanish Pharoah, Top Secret)
Darley (Arrowheart, Call West, Gullane, Honorandprinciple, Last Cookie, Major Spin, Money Magician, Phra Phrom, Prevalence, Praline Pecan, Reach, Salesman [IRE], Sarpedon, Shot Girl, Starquist)
Gainesway (Afleet Sniper, I’m Just, Rookie Year, Single Ruler)
Lane’s End (Avenue, Bella Skye, Bushwick Bruiser, Dynamic One, Game Change, Nucci, Patou Road, Robitaille, Route Sixty Six, Sanquist, The Malbec Factor, The Wayne Factor, Tonality)
WinStar Farm (Battle Born, Big Pete, Dream Time, Dreamer’s Disease, Go Grad, Insouciant, Leopard Bait, My Man Vito, Proper Grammar, Remuda, Reserve Judgment, Smart and Fast, Street Ready, V Lo) 

Other: 

Claiborne Farm (Team T. S. Strong)