kentucky horse park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rood & Riddle Hats Off Day Set for July 30

Hats off Day, presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, will celebrate the impact of the horse industry with a day of free admission to the Kentucky Horse Park July 30. Now in its 19th year, Hats Off Day offers family-friendly activities beginning at 3 p.m., including horse and pony rides, interactive educational booths, and a Grand Prix show jumping competition. Free hats, provided by area horse farms and businesses will be distributed at the entrance, while supplies last.

Sponsored by Central Bank and other industry leaders, Hats Off Day is the only day of the year that admission to the Kentucky Horse Park is free, and serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. More than $1,180,000 has been raised for worthy organizations in Kentucky since the inaugural event in 2003.

“The Kentucky Horse Park provides our state with a beautiful backdrop to learn about Kentucky's signature industry,” said Dr. Tom Riddle, founder of Hats Off Day and co-founder of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. “Hats Off Day allows families to get up-close-and-personal with these majestic animals.”

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Letter to the Editor: J. William Boniface of Bonita Farm

Editor's Note: Go for Gin, winner of the 1994 GI Kentucky Derby and a former Bonita Farm stallion, died this week at age 31.

In 2011 my partner in Go for Gin, Joe Cornacchia, who was a true pillar of the sport and the old-style owner who, like myself, cared about the retirement of his horses, asked that I contact the Kentucky Horse Park about his placement there. Many thanks to the Park for his care during his last 10 years.

Ironically, he lived next door to another stud at Bonita Farm named Deputed Testamony, who is buried on the farm after his demise at age 32. Now in that stall is retired stallion Mojave Moon, who, at 26 years of age, shows no sign of slowing down.

I'm beginning to think that the Fountain of Youth may not be in Florida but instead in Darlington, Maryland.

Thanks again to all the personnel at the Kentucky Horse Park that provided care for Go for Gin.

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Go For Gin Dies at 31

Go For Gin (Cormorant–Never Knock, by Stage Door Johnny), who was the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, passed away Tuesday due to heart failure at the Kentucky Horse Park, where he had lived since retiring from stud duty in June 2011. The 31-year-old won the 1994 Kentucky Derby and was second behind Tabasco Cat in both that year's GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S.

“We're honored that Go For Gin was an ambassador of the park for nearly 12 years,” said Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director Lee Carter. “As a visitor favorite, Go For Gin brought visitors from around the world to the Bluegrass and introduced new fans to the sport of Thoroughbred racing. He will be greatly missed by all of us at the Kentucky Horse Park.”

Go for Gin was bred in Kentucky by Pamela Darmstadt duPont, owned by William J. Condren and Joseph Cornacchia, and trained by Nick Zito. In addition to his Derby win with Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, Go for Gin also won the 1993 GII Remsen S. He won 14 out of his 19 races and earned $1,380,866.

Go for Gin took up stud duty at Claiborne Farm and was later sold to Bonita Farm in Maryland, where stood from 2004 until his retirement. His progeny have earned more than $16.5 million and include Albert the Great, winner of the 2000 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and more than $3 million.

“It saddens me to learn about Go For Gin,” said McCarron. “My memories of him giving me a second Kentucky Derby victory will remain indelible in my heart for as long as I live. Rest in peace, my old pal.”

Go for Gin will be buried at the Memorial Walk of Champions alongside past Thoroughbred residents Forego, Bold Forbes, John Henry, Alysheba, and Da Hoss.

A public memorial service will be held for Go For Gin at a future date.

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482 Trainers Accepted to ’22 Tbred Makeover

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has accepted 482 trainers, including both individuals and team members, to the 2022 class of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA). The Makeover returns to its single-year format in 2022 after the postponement of the 2020 event led to a “double” Makeover in 2021, with two competition years running simultaneously. The 2022 Makeover will take place Oct. 12-15, 2022 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Open to professionals, juniors, amateurs, and teams, the Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition for recently-retired ex-racehorses. Competition is available in 10 disciplines, with trainers choosing to compete in up to two: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, polo, ranch work, show hunter, show jumper, and freestyle (a free-form discipline to demonstrate skills of the trainer's choice). All horses compete in preliminary rounds in their respective disciplines, with the top five in each discipline returning for the Finale Championship on Saturday to determine final placings. A panel, including all discipline judges, will determine the overall Thoroughbred Makeover Champion and a $10,000 cash prize; a popular vote by in-person and online spectators will determine the People's Choice Award who wins the right to direct a donation to an equine charity of their choosing. Accepted trainers can register their horses at www.TBMakeover.org. Registrations, which closes July 29, will appear on the entry list at www.tbmakeover.org/entries-2022. A total of 505 horses have already been registered.

Individuals who missed the initial round of applications are welcome to apply to the waitlist and can do so at www.TBMakeover.org/trainer-portal.

New for 2022, the Makeover will also host The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Western Championships and Central Region Dressage Championships. After a successful implementation of the inaugural T.I.P. Barrel Racing Championships in 2021, the RRP and T.I.P. are adding more opportunities for Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred enthusiasts.

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