Honoring the forgotten fillies: Derby mint juleps support retired mares at Our Mims Haven
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — As the spotlight turns to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, one Bourbon County farm is quietly stealing hearts, not with race-day roses, but with a mission of love, rescue, and redemption.
Our Mims Retirement Haven, tucked away in Paris, Kentucky, is a sanctuary for broodmares — the unsung heroes of horse racing. These mares raced, foaled, and raised the champions that go on to make headlines. But after their breeding careers end, many are overlooked. That's where this haven steps in.
'There's a big difference between caring for horses and working with horses,' said Ann Cheek, the farm's vice president and barn manager. 'Here, we get to know them. They've really got great personalities and just want to be with you.'
Named after the 1977 champion filly Our Mims, the farm was founded by Jeanne Mirabito. She discovered the once-glorious mare living in poor condition and made it her mission to give older mares the dignity they deserved. Jeanne cared for more than 60 mares before passing away in 2020, but her legacy lives on in every gentle nicker and soft nose nudge.
Read more of the latest Kentucky Derby news
'Jeanie was probably the sweetest, nicest person on the face of the earth, but she was a bulldog when it came to these horses,' Cheek said. 'This was her dream. She made sure the ladies got the recognition they deserved.'
This year, that recognition is going national — thanks to Woodford Reserve's annual $1,000 Mint Julep fundraiser, which benefits Our Mims for the first time. Just 150 handcrafted cups are sold each Derby Day, with proceeds going directly to support the care, feeding, and vet bills of the mares.
'It takes so much to take care of them. Each one gets individual care — we don't just throw the same feed to everybody,' Cheek said. 'This support helps us feel secure this year. We're small, sometimes looked over, but this means a lot.'
Some mares at the Haven were once stars themselves. 'Love Locket was Toby Keith's horse. My Trusty Cat has a stakes race named after her in Louisiana. Sweet Ambition won $250,000 on the track before ending up in a kill pen,' said Cheek. 'Now she's healthy and happy here.'
Others arrive with no trophies — just a need for safety, space, and love.
'Some of these girls have done very well, and some… we don't care if they've won a dime. Their biggest job was raising those babies and teaching them how to be part of the herd,' Cheek explained. 'They're the hardest-working horses in the industry.'
Read more of the latest Kentucky Derby news
And while Derby Day focuses on the next generation of greats, at Our Mims, it's the retired mares who take center stage — the fillies behind the fame, finally getting the credit they deserve.
'She told me once that when Mims passed, she didn't think she could do it anymore,' Cheek said of Jeanne. 'But she thought she had to — because Our Mims wanted her to help other old mares. So that's what she did.'
Want to support the ladies of Our Mims?You can learn more, donate, or even schedule a visit at ourmims.org.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
13 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Belmont at Saratoga is a draw, but keeping the Triple Crown relevant remains a concern
Racetracks like Saratoga have attempted to make the weekend a spectacle, with bands and activities throughout the races in hopes of showing the greatness of horse racing and what a day at the track looks like. Advertisement 'It's a great day out, lots of excitement,' said Michael Banahan of Godolphin, who owns Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The outreach extends beyond the track. Places like America's Best Racing are working to educate casual fans about everything from betting to how well horses are taken care of and what to expect on race day. It has connected with celebrities and influencers to get them involved in horse racing. That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman. Advertisement Johnson showed himself getting ready for the races, bathing Sandman and showing what the colt does on his off day. Through this, the combined accounts of ABR and Johnson totaled 268 million-plus impressions and 111 million views. 'It's great to have another young horse racing fan in the room,' said ABR's director of digital marketing, Rachel Miller. 'But, obviously, the same formula isn't going to work forever. It's going to reach a point where maybe Griffin's involvement in racing may stall out or Sandman's not racing anymore. There are just so many unknown variables, especially in this sport, and that's one of the harder sells.' There's another option to draw more viewers, but it's controversial. Kentucky Derby champion Sovereignty gets in some work Thursday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Seth Wenig/Associated Press Ever since Banahan believes spacing out the legs for more rest could attract higher-caliber horses, with more of a chance of the Kentucky Derby winner running, raising interest. 'I'm not too sure if that'll be the case or not,' Banahan said. 'I think the quality of racing is probably what draws people in. I think if we get better horses in all those races, I think they'll get the casual to tune into those as well. Good competition, good horses in there, that happens by having a little more time between to rest. That'll be good for us.' Not everyone agrees that extending the time in between races would increase viewership. Trainer Chad Brown, who has Hill Road in the Belmont, thinks extending the time in between races actually will hurt the Triple Crown. Advertisement 'I think if you start spreading it out, you run the risk of losing everyone's attention, too,' Brown said. 'That's a long time for everyone to be invested in watching how this turns out. I think that the average sports fan moves on from sport to sport throughout the year. 'I think we have to be happy that we have some of them just for the Triple Crown, even if we can't get them all the way through the bigger stuff. I think extending events runs risks for that.'
San Francisco Chronicle
15 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Belmont at Saratoga is a draw, but keeping the Triple Crown relevant remains a concern
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — For a second consecutive year, the Belmont Stakes is being run at historic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York, creating a buzz in the city that closes off Broadway downtown with the sport's spotlight shining. Saratoga itself is a draw for avid fans, given the track's place in horse racing history and a nod to its roots, but the debate continues about how to keep the Triple Crown relevant for a casual audience. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the nation, dating back to before the Declaration of Independence. But unlike then, horse racing now has to compete for attention in a crowded sports landscape. Racetracks like Saratoga have attempted to make the weekend a spectacle, with bands and activities throughout the races in hopes of showing the greatness of horse racing and what a day at the track looks like. 'It's a great day out, lots of excitement,' said Michael Banahan of Godolphin, who owns Kentucky Derby winner and Belmont contender Sovereignty. 'There are a lot of things that go on during the race week, as well. … I think just some people that hadn't seen that before are beginning to enjoy that." The outreach extends beyond the track. Places like America's Best Racing are working to educate casual fans about everything from betting to how well horses are taken care of and what to expect on race day. It has connected with celebrities and influencers to get them involved in horse racing. That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman. Johnson showed himself getting ready for the races, bathing Sandman and showing what the colt does on his off day. Through this, the combined accounts of ABR and Johnson totaled 268 million-plus impressions and 111 million views. 'It's great to have another young horse racing fan in the room,' said ABR's director of digital marketing, Rachel Miller. "But, obviously, the same formula isn't going to work forever. It's going to reach a point where maybe Griffin's involvement in racing may stall out or Sandman's not racing anymore. There are just so many unknown variables, especially in this sport, and that's one of the harder sells.' There's another option to draw more viewers, but it's controversial. Ever since Sovereignty didn't run in the Preakness Stakes, forfeiting a shot at the Triple Crown to rest up for the Belmont, there have been conversations about spreading out the three legs beyond the current gap of two weeks, then three weeks. Banahan believes spacing out the legs for more rest could attract higher-caliber horses, with more of a chance of the Kentucky Derby winner running, raising interest. 'I'm not too sure if that'll be the case or not,' Banahan said. 'I think the quality of racing is probably what draws people in. I think if we get better horses in all those races, I think they'll get the casual to tune into those as well. Good competition, good horses in there, that happens by having a little more time between to rest. That'll be good for us.' Not everyone agrees that extending the time in between races would increase viewership. Trainer Chad Brown, who has Hill Road in the Belmont, thinks extending the time in between races actually will hurt the Triple Crown. 'I think if you start spreading it out, you run the risk of losing everyone's attention, too,' Brown said. 'That's a long time for everyone to be invested in watching how this turns out. I think that the average sports fan moves on from sport to sport throughout the year. I think we have to be happy that we have some of them just for the Triple Crown, even if we can't get them all the way through the bigger stuff. I think extending events runs risks for that.'
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Belmont at Saratoga is a draw, but keeping the Triple Crown relevant remains a concern
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — For a second consecutive year, the Belmont Stakes is being run at historic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York, creating a buzz in the city that closes off Broadway downtown with the sport's spotlight shining. Saratoga itself is a draw for avid fans, given the track's place in horse racing history and a nod to its roots, but the debate continues about how to keep the Triple Crown relevant for a casual audience. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the nation, dating back to before the Declaration of Independence. But unlike then, horse racing now has to compete for attention in a crowded sports landscape. Racetracks like Saratoga have attempted to make the weekend a spectacle, with bands and activities throughout the races in hopes of showing the greatness of horse racing and what a day at the track looks like. 'It's a great day out, lots of excitement,' said Michael Banahan of Godolphin, who owns Kentucky Derby winner and Belmont contender Sovereignty. 'There are a lot of things that go on during the race week, as well. … I think just some people that hadn't seen that before are beginning to enjoy that.' The outreach extends beyond the track. Places like America's Best Racing are working to educate casual fans about everything from betting to how well horses are taken care of and what to expect on race day. It has connected with celebrities and influencers to get them involved in horse racing. That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman. Johnson showed himself getting ready for the races, bathing Sandman and showing what the colt does on his off day. Through this, the combined accounts of ABR and Johnson totaled 268 million-plus impressions and 111 million views. 'It's great to have another young horse racing fan in the room,' said ABR's director of digital marketing, Rachel Miller. 'But, obviously, the same formula isn't going to work forever. It's going to reach a point where maybe Griffin's involvement in racing may stall out or Sandman's not racing anymore. There are just so many unknown variables, especially in this sport, and that's one of the harder sells.' There's another option to draw more viewers, but it's controversial. Ever since Sovereignty didn't run in the Preakness Stakes, forfeiting a shot at the Triple Crown to rest up for the Belmont, there have been conversations about spreading out the three legs beyond the current gap of two weeks, then three weeks. Banahan believes spacing out the legs for more rest could attract higher-caliber horses, with more of a chance of the Kentucky Derby winner running, raising interest. 'I'm not too sure if that'll be the case or not,' Banahan said. 'I think the quality of racing is probably what draws people in. I think if we get better horses in all those races, I think they'll get the casual to tune into those as well. Good competition, good horses in there, that happens by having a little more time between to rest. That'll be good for us.' Not everyone agrees that extending the time in between races would increase viewership. Trainer Chad Brown, who has Hill Road in the Belmont, thinks extending the time in between races actually will hurt the Triple Crown. 'I think if you start spreading it out, you run the risk of losing everyone's attention, too,' Brown said. 'That's a long time for everyone to be invested in watching how this turns out. I think that the average sports fan moves on from sport to sport throughout the year. I think we have to be happy that we have some of them just for the Triple Crown, even if we can't get them all the way through the bigger stuff. I think extending events runs risks for that.' ___ AP horse racing:
