Team PracLexington, Kentucky—Preliminary competition has wrapped at the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, held at the Kentucky Horse Park from October 8 – 11. 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.
More than 240 off-track Thoroughbreds competed over two days in up to two of 10 different equestrian sports. The 10 highest-placed horses in each discipline will return on Saturday for the Championships, competing on a blank slate of scores for $139,000 in prize money paid out to all 10 places. Preliminary winners, including the top-placed juniors, amateurs and teams, as well as special award winners, will be recognized at Saturday’s Awards Party at the conclusion of Championships competition.
Here’s a glance at the preliminary winners in the English-disciplined sports:
Eventing: Rosia Bay and Cynthia M. Buchanan
- OTTB: Rosia Bay, 2019 chestnut mare, bred at Spendthrift Farm, LLC, in Kentucky
- Trainer: Cynthia M. Buchanan
- Supported by: Phoenix Performance Products
- Pedigree: Lord Nelson—Kool Kat x Scat Daddy
- Racing stats: 12-2-2-2, $146,893
- Owned by: Bad Girl Racing Stable and Susan M Racing
- Trained by: William E. Morey
- Last raced: Ellis Park, July 15, 2024
- Sourced: Directly from racing owner
- Cynthia said: “I’m even more excited and even more proud of her! She’s worked very hard for this—we’ve worked very hard for this.”
Eventing Top Broodmare: Justa Scoch, trained by Kimberly Keith
Show Hunter: Mentha and Rachel McMahan
- OTTB: Mentha, 2021 dark bay gelding, bred at KatieRich Farms in Kentucky
- Trainer: Rachel McMahan
- Supported by: Beyond the Wire
- Pedigree: American Pharoah—Wild Mint x Medaglia d’Oro
- Racing stats: Unraced
- Sourced: Directly from racing owner
- Rachel said: “He was great. The round was really good; he was very brave and forward. He is consistent and he always steps up to the job.”
Show Hunter Top Broodmare: Victoria E, trained by Doreen Durr
Dressage: Rosia Bay and Cynthia M. Buchanan
- OTTB: Rosia Bay, 2019 chestnut mare, bred at Spendthrift Farm, LLC, in Kentucky
- Trainer: Cynthia M. Buchanan
- Supported by: PTHA’s Turning For Home
- Pedigree: Lord Nelson—Kool Kat x Scat Daddy
- Racing stats: 12-2-2-2, $146,893
- Owned by: Bad Girl Racing Stable and Susan M Racing
- Trained by: William E. Morey
- Last raced: Ellis Park, July 15, 2024
- Sourced: Directly from racing owner
- Cynthia said: “I am just over the moon! She’s a very careful and sensitive mare that just wants to do it right. She was very tough to start and I thought we’d never be able to get there. This past month, she really shined and she got us here.”
Dressage Top Broodmare: Corner Three, trained by Wendy Lind
Field Hunter: Southwestern Hope and Kaylyn Hottel
- OTTB: Southwestern Hope, 2016 black gelding, bred in New Mexico by Duane Freeman
- Trainer: Kaylyn Hottel
- Supported by: Masters of Foxhounds Association
- Pedigree: Southwestern Heat—Rumor Is x Suave Prospect
- Racing stats: 60-5-7-12, $101,751
- Owned by: Samantha Scheffler
- Trained by: Shawn Bunn
- Last raced: Wyoming Downs, August 11, 2024
- Sourced: Mountain States Retired Racehorse Rehoming
- Kaylyn said: “It’s surreal; I never thought I’d be here. Southwestern Hope is a super special horse since the first day I saw him. I got him three days off the track; I walked into a barn and he was there by himself. He was just standing there and had a sparkle in his eye and I was like ‘you’re coming home with me.’ The first ride I had on him, he was just a saint. I have personal hounds at home, and the first ride two weeks off the track with him I opened the kennel and let the hounds out around him and he was great. He deserves the best, he’s only for sale because I think he deserves his own person. This is just really special because of him.”
Show Jumper: Sekt and Amy Faison
- OTTB: Sekt, 2021 chestnut gelding bred in Kentucky by Genet Racing LLC
- Trainer: Amy Faison
- Supported by: Excel Equine
- Pedigree: Mendelssohn—Champagne Forever (FR) x Mastercraftsman (IRE)
- Racing stats: 1-0-0-0, $340
- Owned by: PTK, LLC
- Trained by: William D. Cowans
- Last raced: Horseshoe Indianapolis, August 19, 2023
Show Jumper Top Broodmare: Justa Scoch, trained by Kimberly Keith
Read more about The Thoroughbred Makeover here.