Steuart Pittman's Retired Racehorse Training Project has run successful challenge and makeover projects since 2009, pushing for more Thoroughbred competitions beyond racing and shining a light on the need for more efforts to help horses find careers beyond the racetrack.
It all moves another step forward next month with the first Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Pimlico Race Course Oct. 5-6. The event will provide the public appearance of the latest crop of Thoroughbreds to dive into the RRTP, 26 horses and 26 trainers, with a mission to teach and showcase in a variety of disciplines from polo to eventing to steer roping. We will be highlighting the Makeover's Mid-Atlantic connections (both human and equine) in the weeks leading up to October 5 and 6.
Thoroughbred in Training: Victory Money
Breeding: 2008 b., m., Love of Money out of Karla's Victory, by Medieval Victory. Bred in New Jersey by John Sessa
Racing Career:
Starts: 14
Firsts: 1
Seconds: 1
Thirds: 3
Earnings: $22,662
Last Raced: 5/19/13
Home Track: Monmouth Park
Trainer: Emily Kocubinski
Read: Emily's Blog: Victory Money's first month post-racing.
"Then, I saw a five second video clip on Facebook of a blood bay horse with a white blaze and two white socks trot across a ring. And by trot, I mean float."
Victory Money's trainer Emily Kocubinski of Cochranville, PA, made a successful run around the Rolex cross country course at the age of 19 on her first Thoroughbred ex-racehorse. She gave all that up for life as a graphic and web designer until 2010 when off-the-track Thoroughbreds beckoned her to return to horses. She now runs a small business, Big City Eventing, devoted to finding new careers for ex-racehorses. In 2013, she was chosen as one of 26 trainers to be part of the Thoroughbred Makeover, and chose Victory Money to show in October at Pimlico.
Watch: Victory Money's first cross-country schooling session.
"I'm very lucky to be a part of such an amazing horse's retraining process. I feel she has potential in almost any discipline: eventing, dressage, hunters, jumpers, or maybe even foxhunting."
This past weekend, Victory Money "was fantastic at her first horse trial." She placed 3rd in the Elementary Horse division at Olde Hope Farm this past Friday. Look for Victory Money to show off her newly acquired skills at Pimlico on October 5 and 6.
More information on the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium.
Buy tickets to the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium and receive free general admission to Jim McKay Maryland Million Day, October 19, 2013 at Laurel Park!
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