Secretariat Festival

Gunner telling a new friend "HI!"

Howdy everyone and welcome to the Secretariat Center blog! My name is Andrea and I'm a student at Midway College. This semester, I have been blessed with the amazing opportunity to intern at the TRF - Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, an inspiring not for profit organization that reschools and adopts out ex-racehorses, a mission that truly makes a difference in the Thoroughbred racehorse industry.

This weekend, I helped spread the word and got to see our work in action! Saturday, MMSC set up a booth at the Secretariat Festival in Bourbon County. While the morning was cold and wet, the dreary whether was no indication of what was to come. The day turned out to be sunny and warm, the crowds plentiful and enthusiastic. The hours flew by and the day was one of the best experiences of my life!

We took 3 horses with us to help draw in people and show off what we have to offer. Fly Light, our mascot, has been saved from slaughter twice. Gunner Milligan made his first appearance as a mascot and did a smashing job at it, attracting admirers with his splendid coat, gentle demeanor, and his large, kind eyes. We also brought along my favorite horse at the Center, Iron Countess. She is a mild-mannered, bay, 4-year-old mare standing at 15.2 hands. She's also a comfortable ride, astoundingly soft, and related to Secretariat himself! But that's not even the best part... she's up for adoption!

The Secretariat Festival was really a sight to behold. There were vendors set up with everything Secretariat, as well as games and contests, and people from all walks of life and all across the nation and globe. People approached me from Canada, Nebraska, Georgia, Japan, etc. People were there who had been smitten about Secretariat so many years ago, as well as those who had fallen in love with him recently when the Secretariat movie came out. It felt wonderful to explain how we are making a difference and to play the role of teacher, answering questions, and sharing my knowledge of horses and passion for them with so many people.

Unfortunately, beyond the excitement of the racehorse industry, there is a dark side. These talented athletes don't always get the retirement they deserve. But the Secretariat Center is one organization working to change that. The realization that I am playing a part in that change made the whole event "awesome" in the most real sense of the word!

The Right Thing

On Thursday, Champagne Prayer was donated to the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center. His story is one where everyone cared about the right thing: Him.
He is a beautiful black 3 year old gelding that simply didn’t run very fast. His trainer, Michelle Lovell, realized that racing was not his calling, and rather than keep him in training or drop him in class in claiming races, she shared her thoughts with the owner Jeanne Bruce. The owner, who had never raced one of the horses she had raised before, was saddened, but wanted the best for her horse and asked Lovell to find the him a wonderful new home. So Lovell contacted Larmon Cowles, farm manager of Gunston Hall Farm, and Cowles, an advisory board member at the MMSC called our director, Susanna Thomas, to ask her if she would come look at Champage Prayer as a candidate for the Horse Centered ReSchooling Program®.
Keen to have the MMSC interns learn all about how the Center works, Susanna asked me to come along. I was excited: Like the Keeneland sales, Gunston Hall was a glimpse into the racing industry which I had never had before. What I encountered was truly inspiring: a farm manager looking to do the best thing for a horse representing an owner and trainer who shared that goal.

Walking into the barn, we were greeted by several beautiful Thoroughbreds (one of whom may join us at the center too!). When we met Champagne Prayer, we were immediately struck by his stunning black coat and beautiful conformation. Larmon and Susanna quizzed assistant trainer Shalise and I on his conformation. Any flaws were beyond either of our detection. Larmon talked us through the details of his conformation, with all signs indicating that he is a great candidate for our program.

Then Larmon led the gelding out of the barn and stood him up so we could take conformation shots. Like every young horse (or young child for that matter!) Champagne Prayer, wiggled in place keen to be on the move, his black coat gleaming in the morning sun, his perfectly even mane flicking back and forth as he tossed his head, calling to potential friends in a nearby field.
And then, the best part: Larmon turned him out in a large field with two yearlings and a draft cross Overo paint, named Curious George. Champagne Prayer arched his lovely neck and greeted each animal with a deep sniff nostril to nostril. His front legs slashed out now and again in mock defiance at each whiff. He squealed a time or two, then twirled and ran, bucking playfully, goading his new buddies into a game of tag.

What a lovely thing to see him enjoying being a horse again, even when he gleefully found a patch of slick mud, and sullied his beautiful coat with a delighted roll from side to side on his back! There's a unique bliss to getting dirty for children of all species!
Susanna said that we would take him into our program at the MMSC after a short spell of R and R at Gunstun Hall. I can’t wait to see what he’s capable of, what career he ends up in, and who his forever person is. On the drive back to the MMSC, we brained stormed at possible names for a horse named Champagne Prayer: Pinot, Bubbles, Korbel, Tipsy Talk, and the like. But in the end, all any of us could think of was his striking black coat. So we settled for Zorro, the noble and dashing "black fox" of lore. Do you like it?

Step One: Keeneland Yearling Sales

My name is Erin O’Keefe and I am one of six new interns at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center. My focus will be on communications and farm management. On Sunday, September 18, our group attended the Keeneland Yearling Sales. What an excellent learning opportunity!

We began our day at the track kitchen, where jockeys, trainers, racing fans, and potential buyers leaned over steaming coffee and plates of eggs and bacon, debating the assets and liabilities of prospects in the sales catalogue. Our director, Susanna Thomas served as our translator into the world of bloodlines and black type. We learned what to consider in young horses, as well as conformation aspects to avoid. Once we had our crash course into the language of the sales, we headed to the barns to see what the yearlings really looked like.

As we wandered through the barns, we were able to examine horses, as well as see agents and prospective buyers appraise them. Our task was to identify any conformational flaws, as well as look for distinct traits from bloodlines. The more barns we explored, the better we got at it. When we headed to the sales ring, we gained another translator into the world of sales, bloodstock agent Hi Petter, who graciously shared his expertise about Thoroughbred racing with us. As we stood around the outside sales ring, we did our best to pick out the best horses headed to sale, and he pointed out where we were on track, or sometimes a little off in our assessments. Then we proceeded to the inner holding ring just before horses entered the pavilion. Here we saw prospective buyers taking last looks and watched sellers' faces as the prices on their horses either rose, or stalled. From there, we took a seat in the sales ring. Bid

spotters in green jackets watched like hawks for cryptic movements--a nod, blink, or flick of a finger against a lapel--all signals for rising bids while the auctioneer tried with a frenzied lilt to sweep prices higher still until, slam! the gavel fell. SOLD!

Onwards these sleek and beautiful animals go now, bastions of hope and potential, one step closer than before to the racetrack. So many unknowns ahead--including perhaps, some day, a stay at the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center when there racing days are over.

Just Across the Road: To Hagyard!

March 29, 2011

By: Courtney Zimmerman

For our final internship fieldtrip, we interns and Melissa, the Educational Programs Director and Volunteer & Adoption Coordinator of the Secretariat Center, ventured just across Iron Works Pike to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. While driving through the entrance to the facility, the first thing we noticed was the large banner on the outside of the building declaring that Hagyard is “The World’s Oldest and Largest Equine Practice.” I have lived in Kentucky for almost four years and I never knew that Kentucky was home to such a famous institution. However, being the self-proclaimed Horse Capital of the World, these findings really should not surprise me anymore.

We proceeded to the Equine Pharmacy and were greeted by our two tour guides, Nicole and Anna. As we began our tour, we learned that Hagyard’s pharmacy not only can make and fill their own prescriptions, but also compound them. The benefit of compounding means that the lab can mix different medicines to alter the taste or composition for the unique needs of certain horses – a process that proves much more efficient than shipping out prescriptions to be completed by other facilities.

After visiting several of the barns they have, most of which can stable 30-50 horses at a time, we trekked inside the surgery prep room. I was taken by how large and complex the operation equipment for hoisting these large animals around the building was. The reality that horses require hydraulic lifts and machinery to position them for even the simplest of surgeries and treatments puts small animal clinical care in less-than-daunting perspective.

View of Hagyard's campus

After visiting the surgery prep room, we made our way to the back of the campus. We then walked into another large surgery room with several hallways leading into it. Down one of these hallways, there was a specialized stall that filtered oxygen for rare equine breathing problems. This therapy was made possible by owners of a horse afflicted with respiratory issues from a donation of over $100,000 to Hagyard.

We then met some equine patients and several foals that were born with some special problems naked to my untrained eye, at least. What was clearly obvious to me, however, was the Guinness beer that one vet grabbed out of the fridge and poured into a mare’s afternoon meal. We learned that Guinness is good for horses too, as alcoholic drinks not only help a horse increase his appetite, but are also useful for horses that suffer from anhidrosis, a condition that inhibits their ability to sweat.

Lovely day for a Guinness

We wrapped up our tour by going into a room consumed by a large hyperbaric chamber. Being around horses so much now for this internship, my immediate thought upon entering the chamber was from a horse’s perspective: oh, what a big and scary white alien monster-thing that looks like it’s going to eat me! (Alright, I took some liberties there, but you get the idea). This hyperbaric chamber is not very common in many vet practices with cost being a factor, but is a valuable oxygen therapy treatment in treating acute or chronic injuries. As the chamber fills with oxygen, the horses receive an increased amount of dissolved oxygen in their plasma, reducing tissue swelling and delivering an oxygen shot to damaged tissues. Horses can have several treatments that last up to an hour for rehabilitation.

As we thanked our tour guides and made the short trip back to the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, I reflected on how intriguing it was to finally visit a real equine vet practice. Those visits occur surprisingly little for non-horse owners such as myself. I was impressed by all the large instruments and advanced technology Hagyard has. What a huge difference between the tiny vet practice that I take my own cats to back home in Cincinnati. Until one personally delves into the economic commitment that comes with owning a horse and keeping it healthy, I don’t think anyone can fully comprehend the amount of money that is shelled out by horse owners to care for their beloved animals – especially in Kentucky! It makes me appreciate that ALL of the horses at the Secretariat Center – and the Horse Park – are extremely well-cared for. It just exemplifies the fact that the Horse Capital of the World not only is a mecca for horses, but a resource for them as well.

Churchill Downs

March 12, 2011

By: Courtney Zimmerman

On a beautiful Saturday morning, Melissa, Jill, Amanda, Annalisa and I traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to take a special behind-the-scenes tour of Churchill Downs. It was exhilarating! Everyone else had varying personal experiences with Churchill Downs but I was the only first timer. We arrived early so we were able to have a look around the Kentucky Derby Museum before our tour began. I was in heaven: being able to personally visit the site of the greatest day of the entire year and immerse myself in all of its grand history was incredible. It is evident that the exhibit is new because it caters to the needs of modern museum-goers and provides interesting interactive displays. We “big kids” had a blast riding the mechanical horses through a simulated race (I kept placing third!) and betting on a race. Another exhibit involved a touch-screen computer that allowed you to choose which horses you wanted to win, place and show and then printed a ticket with your selections, including winning odds for each horse. Then we watched our race (cheering loudly, of course) and got to scan our tickets at the end to see how much we would have won. I would have received $5.80! Too bad the museum doesn’t let you collect on fake races. Immersing ourselves in the “glory days” of racehorses gave us some real-life perspective of the lives of the horses that we are currently working with before their arrival at the Secretariat Center.

Amanda, AnnaLisa, Jill and Courtney posing with Super Saver, winner of the 2010 Kentucky Derby

By this time, we were ready to meet up with our host, Ronnie Dreistadt. He explained a brief history of the Kentucky Derby and of Churchill Downs: The first Kentucky Derby winner was Aristides in 1875 and the race has been run every year since, making it the longest consecutively-running horse race in America. There were a few years that the Derby came close to being cancelled due to extreme weather or world conflicts (such as WWII), but alas, the Kentucky Derby’s name lives on.

Entrance to Churchill Downs with commemorative statue of Barbaro, winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby

After these introductions, Ronnie brought us to the Jockey Room. Everything was very antiquated (the exercise room didn’t even have any windows!) and we were informed that it hadn’t been renovated since the 1940s. We were able to see the official scale that the jockeys weigh in on before each race and then got to see the men’s jockey locker room (we’re all girls, but don’t worry, it was empty). We even got to see the “lucky locker” that Calvin Borel uses. He has won 3 out of the past four Kentucky Derbys so it’s no wonder he doesn’t want to give it up! We were then able to see the game room where they all relax before the big race – apparently NBC runs the whole show and tells everyone when it is time to take pictures as well as when to head downstairs for the race.

After our visit to the Jockey Room, we continued our tour outside in the paddock area where the horses are saddled and wait until the post parade. We then got to go upstairs to the Millionaire’s Suites (probably for the first and last time!). The view was phenomenal! Not only are these suites situated right on the finish line, but they also have a fully-catered buffet. However, these seats are not just for your average millionaire. Sure, a seat for the Derby only costs $918, but here’s the catch: you can’t buy just ONE seat, but the entire table for a set of 8 seats! But before you’re even allowed to do that, you have to buy a seating “license” – with a price tag of a mere $180,000! No wonder horseracing is coined “The Sport of Kings!”

View of Churchill Downs near the Millionaire's Suites

We finished up our tour in the museum and watched a movie on a 360 degree screen. The movie went through a day at the Derby, from 4am when the trainers and jockeys arrive to work the horses, until after the winners leave the circle and Churchill Downs is empty again. Watching a film race around your head was an extraordinary experience (even if it did strain my neck) and the footage brought about emotions of awe and excitement. I believe horseracing is one of the few sports that can cause such thrilling sensations and intense feelings of power!

Attending the Kentucky Derby has always been a childhood dream of mine – taking a tour of Churchill Downs simply confirmed it. This industry needs another Triple Crown win to bring it back into the spotlight… Who knows, maybe the first year I am able to attend will be THE year!

Equine Career Fair

By: Courtney Zimmerman

Today Susanna and I represented the Secretariat Center at the UK Equine Career Fair. The Equine Career Fair is a rather new event hosted every year by the UK Equine Initiative to bring local equine-related businesses together and give students an opportunity to network with them. This event was from 4-7:30pm in the E.S. Good Barn and was open to all students in the surrounding areas interested in a career with horses. While most of the students who attended were from UK, there were also students who were from Georgetown College, Midway College and Morehead State University. There were almost 20 vendors there advertising their unique business opportunities, including The Blood-Horse, Hagyard, the Kentucky Equine Management Internship program (KEMI), KESMARC, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (our neighbors at the Horse Park!), Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and many more! The majority of these businesses also provide internships to further an equine student’s educational experiences.

Susanna and I interacting with students at the Equine Career Fair

I thought this was a great experience to practice my marketing and communication skills (I am the Communications Intern after all!) and I had fun meeting many new people who seemed genuinely interested in the mission and work that the Secretariat Center does. Explaining our mission to other people made me realize even more how much I enjoy what I do at the MMSC and how happy I am to be a part of this organization.

The Jockey Club

By: Courtney Zimmerman

It’s that time again…time for another field trip! Our schedules are jam-packed with field trips and special events for the interns to participate in (the ultimate goal is for us to learn!) and this week we went to The Jockey Club. After much debate on transportation, Jill, Amanda, Annalisa, the high school “honorary intern,” Tamar, the PhD candidate studying at the Horse Park and MMSC (I suppose she is another “honorary intern”), Susanna and myself all piled into cars and made our way to The Jockey Club. I’ll be honest, I had no idea what to expect; I was a little shocked when we pulled into an office park. An office park?! Since when does anything horse-related have their facility solely in a city high-riser? Well, apparently that’s the norm for organizations who only deal with paperwork… huh (note the sarcasm here). We were greeted by our host, Andrew Chesser, who generously dedicated a good portion of his afternoon to us. He was an intern at The Jockey Club before graduating from UK and is now the Customer Service Coordinator.

Amanda, Courtney, Susanna, Jill & Annalisa in front of The Jockey Club

The Jockey Club is the regulatory body that oversees all aspects of registering a Thoroughbred racehorse. When a foal is born, when a mare or stud dies, and when any horse is sold, all of the corresponding information must be sent through The Jockey Club for their records. Every Thoroughbred must have a tattoo on their upper lip that consists of a unique combination of letters and numbers so that they can be properly identified whether they are raced, bred or sold. Without the proper registration paperwork or this unique tattoo, a Thoroughbred cannot race in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico.

I thought the naming process for Thoroughbreds was the most interesting aspect of The Jockey Club. There are so many rules that need to be abided, it’s a wonder that people are still able to come up with a unique name for every horse! A registered Thoroughbred’s name cannot be more than 18 characters (including spaces), cannot include numbers or solely initials, and cannot be a duplicate of any other horse registered within The Jockey Club or any horse’s name that is permanently saved (such as Secretariat). This also includes any names that are phonetically similar. The proposed names also cannot refer to anything vulgar nor have commercial significance; looks like we won’t be cheering for a “Lady Gaga” at any finish lines. The most incredible part about this process is that The Jockey Club has software that can automatically scan for violations of all of these rules, and even has links to sites such as “Urban Dictionary” for vulgar references. So much for people attempting to be sneaky! With all of these hoops to jump through, it’s amazing how creative people can be. Some people are inspired by political or pop-culture references (Nosupeforyou, anyone?) and others stick to somehow combining the names of a foal’s dam and sire; the innovative efforts that some put into this process is what astonishes me. Some of my favorites include: Alphabet Soup (out of Illiterate), Odor in the Court (by Judge Smells), Fuss Fuss Fuss (out of Nag Nag Nag) and Plagiarist (by Word Pirate). Owners must submit a valid attempt for an acceptable name before February 1 of the foal’s first year before they are fined.

Example of a pedigree for Sebring. Note how the names are combined as the lineage continues.

Through this demonstration, we learned the basics for the entire registration process and I know that we all gained something we had not known before entering this office park: Annalisa inadvertently learned the age of a mare she owns after Andrew looked it up in the software, and Susanna acquired paperwork that is required for selling a horse without a pedigree. Who would have guessed that this short adventure would have provided us with so much important and interesting information for us! Now that we have learned the paperwork process behind the scenes of Thoroughbred racing, I am even more excited for our next field trip…to Churchill Downs!