Thoroughbred Makeover | Horse Racing Free Tips

Horowitz On OTTBs, Presented By Excel Equine: ‘Victory’ At The Thoroughbred Makeover Looks A Little Different For Everyone

The performances that make me smile the biggest and appreciate the retired racehorses and the trainers that care so much for them at the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover the most are not necessarily the ones that win ribbons or even make the Finale.

Don't get me wrong: as the announcer of the Thoroughbred Makeover since the annual marquee event for OTTBs was first held at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2015, I've been blown away by the talent that Thoroughbred sporthorses can show in new sports with less than a year of retraining after a racing career.

Like when Rosie Napravnik went into a gallop after a flawless jumping round in the eventing finale aboard Sanimo at the 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover to win the discipline. It was reminiscent of the jockey-turned-eventer galloping out after a flawless ride aboard Untapable in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Distaff, after which Napravnik announced her retirement from racing, only to embark on a new equine career, much like the OTTBs that she now rides.

Sanimo and Napravnik moved up to the Prelim level of eventing in 2021 with two top-three finishes that qualified them for the American Eventing Championships and a return to the Kentucky Horse Park.

Or when Carleigh Fedorka had a breathtaking dressage test to win the discipline at the 2015 Thoroughbred Makeover aboard Called to Serve, a horse ESPN's Gary West once described as “a bull in perpetual search of a china shop” because of his naughtiness during race training.

There have been countless other performances that bring out the immense talent of OTTBs, and I'm looking forward to more when I announce the 2021 Mega Makeover from Oct. 12 to 17.

However, at least as valuable to the goal the RRP has that the Thoroughbred Makeover is “intended to inspire good trainers to become involved in transitioning these horses to second careers” is seeing the rounds in each discipline where trainers create a positive experience for their horses based on where their training is, rather than pushing things to the max.

I smile when I see the barrel racer that trots the barrel pattern rather than sprinting all out. The rider pats the horse on the neck afterward. They both leave the TCA Covered Arena proud of their accomplishment.

I smile when I see the freestyle competitor recognize that their horse is overwhelmed by the atmosphere, adjust their routine, and the horse picks up confidence as a result.

I smile every time riders show gratitude for themselves and their horses that just making it to the Kentucky Horse Park is an accomplishment, regardless of where the horses are at in their retraining, because the Thoroughbred Makeover is only part of a long journey that the horse will hopefully embark on in a new life after racing.

Jonathan and Ashley Horowitz announce the finale of the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover.

There is no doubt that the Thoroughbred Makeover is an elite competition, with $100,000 in prize money and top-level riders competing across ten disciplines on horses that will go on to be leaders in their new sport. In addition, what makes the Thoroughbred Makeover so special and important is that it is also addresses a cause that all professional sports now have to reckon with — the welfare of their elite athletes after they retire. Thanks to the RRP and the Thoroughbred Makeover, horse racing is moving in the right direction with this.

“Since 2015, the Thoroughbred Makeover has steadily grown into not only the largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world, but also the largest gathering of people with a professional interest in Thoroughbred aftercare,” RRP executive director Jen Roytz said. “Since then, we've seen more than 3,000 horses go through the process of transitioning from racing to their sport horse careers by preparing for this unique competition, and now we're seeing our Makeover graduates from years past starting to perform at the upper levels in their new equestrian disciplines.”

After coming together for a memorable week at the Kentucky Horse Park, the Makeover trainers, who have represented 46 states and four Canadian provinces, as well as England, can return to their hometowns and inspire others with what OTTBs can achieve.

“That's what works so well with the Makeover,” RRP program manager Kristen Kovatch Bentley said. “It manages to cater to not only the trainers who use the structure of that first year to prepare horses for careers in the upper levels, or take advantage of the visibility to market a horse for sale at the event, but for the one-time 'bucket list' trainers who are entering this competition with their forever horse. It's rare for one event to be able to bring together so many different facets of the industry in one week, but because everyone has had that same incredible experience of partnering with these amazing horses to undertake this transformative 10-month journey together, the competition becomes a celebration.”

The Thoroughbred Makeover inspired me to learn to ride, and my work with OTTBs has changed my life. My wife, Ashley Horowitz, and I currently run the Super G Sporthorses farm in Parker, Colo., where ten of the 16 horses on the farm are Thoroughbreds. Those ten were bred in seven different states.

“For those who don't have a background in or natural connection to equestrian sports outside of horse racing,” Roytz said, “this allows them to gain a deeper appreciation of not only what these horses can go onto accomplish after racing, but how much time, skill, effort, money and more goes into their care and training as they make this life-altering transition from racehorse to sport horse.”

I'm one of those people and appreciate that I now have gone from “talking the talk” as a broadcaster to “walking the walk” as an eventer on OTTBs thanks to what has inspired me at the Thoroughbred Makeover.

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The Friday Show Presented By Monmouth Park: Talking Thoroughbred Makeover

Just as there are “baby” races at the track, off-track Thoroughbreds have their own kind of competition restricted to newcomers — the Thoroughbred Makeover, scheduled for Oct. 12-17 at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, Ky.

The event, offering $100,000 in prize money and consisting of 10 different disciplines, brings together Thoroughbreds that are in their first year transitioning from the racetrack to a second career.

Jonathan Horowitz, who calls the races at Colorado's Arapahoe Park, has been the announcer at the Thoroughbred Makeover since 2015. Since January 2020, he's been documenting his new avocation in a series of articles at the Paulick Report, “Horowitz On OTTBs,” highlighting the challenges and triumphs that come with working with off-track Thoroughbreds.

“I appreciate that it's not easy to do,” said Horowitz, who joins publisher Ray Paulick and editor in chief Natalie Voss on this week's Friday Show. “I appreciate that when you get it, it's one of the most rewarding feelings. It's a sport where … imagine if you're a basketball player and the basketball had a mind of its own.”

While Horowitz will not be competing at this year's Thoroughbred Makeover, Voss will be in the dressage ring at the Horse Park with her off-track Thoroughbred, Underscore (fondly known as Blueberry around the barn). She's a tireless advocate for giving ex-racehorses the best chance possible for a second career that can be just as rewarding for the horse as a trip to the winner's circle.

Watch this week's Friday Show, presented by Monmouth Park, below:

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Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit To Kick Off Thoroughbred Makeover On Oct. 12

The third annual Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 12 will kick off a week of Thoroughbred-centered activities at the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit is the joint effort of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), and is a conference focused on education and networking among those with a professional interest in the retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds after racing.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will consist of four panel discussion sessions: “Proper Financials and Reporting;” “Best Practices for Rehabbing and Marketing Horses Retired Due to Injury;” “How the Pandemic Has Changed the Face of Fundraising;” and “Navigating Common Challenges Aftercare Organizations Face.” The panels and discussions offer opportunities for individuals and organizations to discuss and idea-share on challenges unique to Thoroughbred aftercare.

“Each year we work to curate session topics pertinent to those with a professional interest in aftercare, whether that be on the nonprofit side or in the private sector,” said RRP executive director Jen Roytz. “This year's lineup of topics and speakers is a reflection of the current challenges many organizations and individuals are facing and will hopefully offer solutions and opportunities for meaningful dialogue.”

Confirmed panelists include Dr. Stuart Brown, DVM, Vice President of Equine Safety at Keeneland; Anna Ford, program director at New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program; Karen Gustin, executive director of Kentucky Equine Adoption Center; Beverly Strauss, co-founder and executive director of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue; and Matt Thacker, Finance and Data Manager at TAA. Panelists will be updated at TBMakeover.org/aftercare-summit.

The conference is a collaboration of the four presenting organizations in an effort to bring together the Thoroughbred aftercare community in what is already the largest gathering of both individuals and organizations who have a vested interest in Thoroughbreds after their racing days are over.

“The pandemic continues to influence how aftercare operates and constantly presents new challenges to these organizations,” said TCA executive director Erin Crady. “The focus of this year's Summit is intended to help organizations face not only the normal challenges of aftercare but the unique tests of working and fundraising during a pandemic.”

“The TAA is thrilled to once again participate in the Aftercare Summit,” said TAA operations consultant Stacie Clark. “Our newly acquired Finance and Data Manager Matt Thacker has been invaluable to the TAA and we are eager for him to share his insights during the summit. The advancement of aftercare governance and financing protocols is instrumental to the success of our collective mission to facilitate Thoroughbreds retiring from racing.”

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Registration is required, which can be done online at the link on the TBMakeover.org/aftercare-summit. The cost to participate is $10 per person, which will be collected as a donation and awarded as a 50-50 to a randomly selected aftercare organization in attendance. Registration will also include access to the live stream of the conference via Zoom so attendees can participate from anywhere in the world.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will be held in the TCA Covered Arena Lounge at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on Tuesday, October 12 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. It is held in conjunction with the TCA Thoroughbred Makeover, a training competition for horses in their first year of retraining after retirement from racing. This year's edition also features competition for horses from the postponed 2020 event which have had up to two years of retraining, competing separately. Over 500 horses between both competition years are expected to attend and compete across ten disciplines, including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, freestyle, polo, ranch work, show hunter and show jumper. The full schedule of events can be found at TBMakeover.org.

For more information about the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, please visit TBMakeover.org/aftercare-summit.

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Thoroughbred Charities Of America Returns As Title Sponsor Of Thoroughbred Makeover

Fulfilling its commitment to improving the lives and welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses both on and off the track, Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) has returned as the title sponsor of the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The 2021 edition of the RRP's banner event is being called the “Mega-Makeover” and will welcome horses eligible for the 2020 postponed competition as well as the regularly scheduled 2021 year.

The TCA Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition, featuring trainers from across North America who have worked throughout the year (or past two years in the case of 2020 trainers) to prepare recently retired Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to compete for more than $100,000 in ten equestrian sports. Trainers compete as professionals, amateurs, juniors and teams. Horses from the 2020 and 2021 competition years will compete separately.

“We are very happy to again support the Thoroughbred Makeover,” said Erin Crady, executive director of TCA. “Through the Makeover, educational events, clinics, and expos, the Retired Racehorse Project successfully works to increase the demand for Thoroughbreds among equine enthusiasts. Over nearly the last decade, the RRP and its signature Makeover event have increased the market for Thoroughbreds retiring from the track. We look forward to the Mega-Makeover and to watching hundreds of Thoroughbreds excel in new disciplines.”

TCA's support for the Makeover is part of its annual grant-making activity. This year, TCA granted over $775,000 to nearly 70 approved organizations. For over three decades, TCA has worked to support not only Thoroughbred aftercare, but also programs that provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers.

“For more than 30 years, TCA has had a profound and lasting impact on our industry, identifying programs and initiatives poised to make a meaningful difference for horses, backside and/or farm workers and seeding them with the funds to help them flourish,” said RRP executive director Jen Roytz. “Having come on as the title sponsor in 2012, TCA is one of our longest standing partners in putting on the Thoroughbred Makeover. Last year, when the pandemic forced most events to outright cancel, TCA's unwavering commitment allowed us to postpone rather than cancel the Makeover, thus retaining the opportunity for the class of 2020 to compete.”

For some participating trainers, the road to the Mega-Makeover has been a long journey that began for the 2020 competition year as early as December of 2019 when applications first opened. Applications opened again in December 2020 for trainers interested in competing in 2021. All trainers demonstrated on their applications their ability to successfully transition a horse off the track through narrative, references, and video. A total of 525 horses were entered for the Mega-Makeover after the Final Entry process, which captured additional data about their individual retraining processes.

Each horse and trainer will compete in one or two of the ten disciplines offered at the Thoroughbred Makeover and will be scored on performance and progression in training. Featured sports include barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, polo, ranch work, show hunter, show jumper, and freestyle (a freeform discipline allowing trainers to demonstrate any skill of their choosing). The top five scorers in each discipline will compete in a Finale competition, and an overall winner, as scored by the judges from all ten disciplines, will be crowned Thoroughbred Makeover Champion. The 2020 and 2021 competition years will each have their own Finale and their own Thoroughbred Makeover Champion.

In addition to the competition, the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium offers several events throughout the week that reflect its status as the largest gathering of individuals and organizations with an interest in rehoming Thoroughbreds: the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit takes place on Tuesday, October 12. On Friday, October 15, the Makeover Master Class retraining demonstration will take place, followed by educational seminars on health topics pertaining to the ex-racehorse. Throughout the week, competitors and spectators can shop the vendor fair, as well as watch, try, vet and buy or adopt Makeover entrants who have been listed for sale through the ASCPA Makeover Marketplace.

A full schedule of events can be found at TBMakeover.org.

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts off-track Thoroughbred retraining clinics and programming at major horse expos and events around the country, and maintains the online Thoroughbred Sport Tracker (the internet's only user-driven database tracking second career talent and accomplishments of registered Thoroughbreds). Visit the RRP online at RetiredRacehorseProject.org.

TCA funds and facilitates the support of Thoroughbreds and the people who care for them. TCA distributes grants to several categories of Thoroughbred-related nonprofits including rehabilitation, retraining, rehoming and retirement organizations; backstretch and farm employee programs; equine-assisted therapy programs; and research organizations. Since its inception in 1990, TCA has granted over $25 million to more than 200 charities. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).

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