The Maker's Mark Secretariat Center is a non profit facility located in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. We are dedicated to reschooling, and showcasing the athleticism of the off track Thoroughbred so that they can go on and become ambassadors for the breed in second careers. We are also committed to educating the public about these wonderful horses: We welcome visitors of all ages, interns, and volunters . This blog publicizes unofficial updates on our horses and our programs. For more information, visit www,secretariatcenter.org or www.facebook.com/makersmarksecretariatcenter








Thursday, April 15, 2010

As always, campus has been bustling with activity. The Paul Frazer Combined Test was a positive experience for our horses. Benny and Haley Barbato received a 37 on their BN dressage test. Ann Cothran rode a beautiful stadium round on Ferdy, and Shalise Gallaher gathered an 8th place in the Beginner Starter division on Fly Lite.

On March 30th, the TRF-MMSC was recognized as a Kentucky Economic Development and Tourism entity through a resolution passed by the Kentucky House. We brought Champ and Benny to greet visitors at the Capitol Building, including many school children, some of whom got to pet a horse for the first time. An article run on the event the next day can be found on the front page of The State Journal.


Our Saturday demos have kicked off to a great start. Last Saturday we crammed a record 45 people into our old horse van, Big Agnus, to transport them to the Secretariat Center. After photo opportunities with Secretariat, the group was led through the office to learn about the life cycle of a Thoroughbred and the mission of the TRF-MMSC. The kids then enjoyed brushing the horses and having a race of their own around our oval "mini track."

We have also had a lot of horses coming in and out. Rummy, Champ, and Benny will be leaving at the end of this week and Bandit went to his new home in Georgia last week. We have received four new horses to fill their spots, Racehorse Davis, Mr. Universe "Titan," Mr. Informed "Impulse," and Marked For Action. Pictures and further descriptions can be found on our website and facebook page.

The Kentucky Horse Park will be hosting the John Henry Adoption Fair this Saturday, April 17th. We would appreciate volunteers helping to get the horses ready on Friday and manning the booth on Saturday. Come out and adopt a horse, or just see Molly, the Katrina victim pony who's leg had to be amputated. See her prosthetic leg and hear her miraculous story during her guest appearance.

Tune in on Sunday the 18th and 25th at 10am for the TRF-MMSC segment that Fox Channel 56 filmed. It showcases the life of a racehorse, what happens when they come to us, and our horses receiving treatment form the vet and dentist while the interns watch and learn, getting some hands on experience.
We hope everyone gets the chance to go to Rolex next week. Feel free to stop by our booth and say hello, or sign up to work it!

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