The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) will include a pilot program for broodmares to compete in the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. Recently retired broodmares will compete alongside traditional entrants in all ten offered disciplines, but will be recognized separately and have a separate $10,000 in prize money.
“As the Thoroughbred Makeover has made a proven impact on the population of horses retiring from racing, we've gotten an increasing call in recent years for a channel for Thoroughbred broodmares who are ready for their third career,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. “Although the needs of this group are somewhat different from the original Makeover eligibility, the principal is still the same: horses who have received the investment of quality care and training are more likely to find lasting homes. We're excited to offer a modified division to make a contribution to that outcome.”
To be eligible for the new division, broodmares must be registered with The Jockey Club (TJC), have foaled or been bred in 2021 or after, have one lifetime start or published work, and may not have had prior shows or competitions. Broodmares will not be subject to the 15-ride limit. Complete rules will be available when the 2023 rulebook is published next month at TheRRP.org.
The new broodmare division is made possible with a grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Additional support from farms and regional breeders groups is anticipated.
In this new TDN column, Christie DeBernardis will tell the stories of accomplished and/or popular former racehorses who are now enjoying second careers as show horses, track ponies, etc.
Champion sprinter Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) and Laura Moquett's relationship goes back to when he was just a 2-year-old who refused to go around the racetrack without some coaxing. Fast forward seven years and that cantankerous juvenile is now an Eclipse winner and Breeders' Cup winner and has been retired from racing as Moquett's personal riding horse.
On Thursday, less than 13 miles from the scene of Whitmore's greatest racetrack triumph, the pair had their show ring debut in the Retired Racehorse Project's competitive trail event at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“We had some issues to deal with between the wind and sun creating some scary shadows,” Moquett said. “He looked at the first obstacle and said hard no, but he worked through it and completed the course. I was really proud of him. He kept his composure really well despite that, which was incredible.”
She continued, “He had so many groupies. It was phenomenal. They followed him from the barn all the way up to the course. They were adoring. It was really cool to see. If this gets even one person to give a horse a second shot at a new career, that is so important.”
Whitmore entered Ron and Laura Moquett's barn as a rambunctious 2-year-old and was initially owned by their Southern Springs Stables. While new owners later bought into Whitmore, one thing remained unchanged and that was Laura Moquett, who was the chestnut's regular rider and traveling companion.
“As a 2-year-old, I really had to focus on him because he was a maniac,” Moquett said. “We couldn't get him around the racetrack, not one lap, and would not go the right direction. We did a bunch of schooling on that to teach him to go forward. We kept him company, even breezing, until the last couple of years because otherwise he would stop in the middle of the track and do some shenanigans. But, with company, he did his job and ran other horses down, which is funny because it ended up being his running style.”
She continued, “Basically, if I was in town, I would be on his back every day. If we had to go out of town for a stakes race, I was his companion. Most of it was great, but sometimes he pushes your buttons and he loves doing it.”
With a stallion career off the table for the gelded seven-time graded stakes winner, Ron Moquett consulted his partners about Whitmore's future when it came time for retirement. Everyone readily agreed to leave him in the hands of his lifelong friend Laura Moquett.
“Ron had talked to the partners and everyone came to the consensus we could keep him the rest of his life,” Moquett said. “I still wanted to be around him daily, so thankfully they were totally on board. He got injured at Saratoga last summer and they said he could come back to the races, but the partners agreed he had done more than enough. I was upset when he was injured, but I knew he was going to be okay and I would get to keep him, so it was a weird mix of emotions. It was devastating in the barn for our team because he was the big horse and had that mojo everyone wants to be around.”
That injury came during Saratoga's 2021 meet and Whitmore was given down time for the rest of the year.
“We couldn't bring him back until late December and I was just too busy at Oaklawn to start him,” Moquett said. “It didn't materialize this winter and I was just trying to get his feet back in shape. That will always be a challenge. I thought there was no way we could do the RRP, though that was all I wanted to do. I thought it would be really great for his fans to see him do something else. There are a lot of people that follow him and were upset when he got injured.”
She added, “I worked with him five or six times in the round pen just doing ground work in late March. Then I hauled him to a friend's place maybe four times and did some basic under saddle work. That was about as much as I could do until we got back to Kentucky after the Derby.”
Moquett and Whitmore did manage to fit one other outing in during their winter in Hot Springs, a trip to Oaklawn for “Whitmore Day.”
“The first day at Oaklawn he was actually decent,” Moquett said. “I think he was like, 'I'm back baby!' Days two through four, I was like I might die. One of the jocks went by and was like, 'He's going to drop you.' I said, 'He hasn't yet! Don't worry, I will make it home.' He was just so excited. By the fifth day, he realized we are just going to go out there and walk. I had the outrider next to me in case. He got out there and everyone was yelling for him and he was like, 'Okay, this is for me. That's right. I get it.' I told them if they didn't get me off the track before the gates popped and we accidentally won the race, I was taking the money.”
Once they returned to Kentucky in May, the real work began.
“He is at a barn in Goshen that the mounted police use,” Moquett said. That was part of what inspired the competitive trail idea. When he first got up here, I just legged him up trail riding at first. The first time I went anywhere with him was in June to Masterson Station for a jumper/trail night. It took me like 30 minutes to get him to the course. He was terrified of all the stuff they had set up. It blew my mind too. I was like there is no way I can do this. The mounted police take their horses to Hinkle Equestrian Center in Indiana to prep for competitions. We went over there about 12 times and that helped him a bunch. He is a fairly easy horse to ride and he will only get better. I am lucky.”
Whitmore's age and experience racing at venues from coast-to-coast have aided him in his second career.
“He has been on airplanes and at a bunch of different venues with music and crowds,” said Moquett. “I think that is an advantage, especially for this class, as is his age. He is a lot more settled than a young horse is.”
As for the future, Moquett has a few ideas, but is letting Whitmore dictate the plans.
“I would love to try the hunters with him,” the horsewoman said. “But, I am enjoying every second of it and we will see what he wants to do. It's his world, I am just living in it.”
Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) will again serve as the title sponsor of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition and showcase, featuring trainers from across North America who have worked throughout the year to prepare recently retired Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to compete for more than $100,000 in a variety of equestrian sports. TCA has worked to support Thoroughbred aftercare, as well as programs that provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers, for more than three decades. TCA has supported the RRP since 2012.
“The Thoroughbred Makeover has been a game changer for aftercare,” said TCA executive director Erin Halliwell. “Over the last decade, thousands of Thoroughbreds have been retrained to compete in the Makeover. When former racers learn new skills, it makes them more marketable to horse owners seeking their next mount which, in turn, can increase their post-racetrack value. TCA is proud to support the RRP and the Makeover as they continue to create a demand for Thoroughbreds after their racing careers.”
TCA has granted nearly $783,000 to 74 approved organizations this year alone. A full schedule of Thoroughbred Makeover events can be found at TheRRP.org.
Kirsten Green, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s managing director who served as interim executive director following the departure of Jen Roytz near the end of last year, has been named the new executive director of the organization. A national search by a hiring committee comprised of board members was conducted only to turn to Green, who is the RRP's longest-serving staff member.
“The hiring process made us hopeful for the future of Thoroughbred aftercare based on the quality of applicants who applied and their passion for the mission,” said RRP board chair Sue Smith. “After an extensive review process, the hiring committee ultimately made a determination based on the candidates' understanding of the industry, ability to guide and oversee a non-profit organization, and their vision for the future. We feel confident in our selection and are eager to expand our mission under Kirsten's leadership.”
A Maryland native, Green began as an RRP volunteer in 2012 and joined the organization in 2014. She has played an integral role in the RRP since, supporting its first two executive directors and ensuring the ongoing operations of the organization, implementation of events and initiatives, and serving as the direct report for an expanding staff. As executive director, Green will be responsible for building upon the partnerships established by Roytz with a particular focus on strategic planning and broadening the RRP's reach.
“Taking over the role of executive director for the RRP is an honor,” said Green. “Serving under Jen Roytz and Steuart Pittman has allowed me to experience the growth of the organization from the front row and to learn from their perspectives and vision. Through their leadership, the RRP has solidified itself as an essential part of the aftercare landscape, leveraging the market to find next-career paths for hundreds of horses annually and steadily increasing their value. I'm thankful to be following in their tracks as well as to have the support of an incredibly talented and passionate staff and a diverse and dynamic board of directors. I'm excited to work with each of them to advance our charitable mission and define what's next for the organization.”
Roytz served the RRP for four years as executive director before stepping back last year. “For as long as I've been involved with the RRP, Kirsten has been a key factor in its growth and success and I am so very pleased to see her step into this role,” she said. “Over the past decade, the RRP has grown to serve a critical role in aftercare, working to create demand for Thoroughbreds as sport horses, and in doing so, increasing the number of equestrians eager to adopt or purchase them at the conclusion of their racing careers. But there is much more that can and needs to be done. Her vision for the future of the RRP–and potentially for Thoroughbred aftercare as a whole–is forward-thinking and inspiring.”
