Latest news with #ThoroughbredMakeover
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CARMA Graduates Exceeding Expectations En Route To Thoroughbred Makeover
CARMA Graduates Exceeding Expectations En Route To Thoroughbred Makeover originally appeared on Paulick Report. Ex-racehorses Big Rainbow and La Peer had relatively undistinguished careers on the track, but both are finding their way in successful second acts as event horses, with the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover this fall squarely in their fillies are set to compete against one another in show jumping at the Thoroughbred Makeover, which is held every year in Lexington, Ky., this year from Oct. 8-11. And depending on how they progress over the next two months, additional disciplines could be Rainbow 'definitely will compete in show jumping, with the potential for hunters too,' said Nathan Williams-Bonner, who rides Big Rainbow and is based in Temecula, Calif.'She's been awesome,' he said. 'Very brave at everything since I received her. No issues with obstacles or anything that comes up. Even though she had come off the racetrack, she went right into show mode. She has definitely exceeded expectations.' La Peer 'is coming along great,' said Chanel Minnifield, who rides La Peer and is the co-founder of ZenHeart, which is based in the Sunland area at the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley. 'She's really chill. She has a really good mind, very well balanced, very rhythmic, doesn't get out of her skin.'Minnifield said La Peer could compete in both show jumping and hunters at Thoroughbred horses were adopted this spring out of CARMA programs by ZenHeart, which provides opportunities to an underserved area of the equine world, riders from BIPOC – Black, indigenous, and people of color – communities.'We have an all Black show-jumping team,' Minnifield said. 'We're pushing an agenda of increasing diversity.' The agenda with Big Rainbow and La Peer, Minnifield said, was simple and direct.'We went to pick out horses at Heart Bar Farms in Valley Center,' Minnifield said. 'We were looking for horses we thought we could take to RRP, and win with.'Other than being a year apart, both Big Rainbow, sired by Mr. Big, and La Peer, by Girvin, have eerily similar backgrounds. They both raced nine times, exclusively in Southern California, before being retired, and both earned exactly $56,480 during their racing careers. Big Rainbow, 4, won once, at Santa Anita. Le Peer, 5, retired winless. Both were acquired by ZenHeart earlier this year, with the Thoroughbred Makeover the main goal for 2025. Donations to CARMA – the California Retirement Management Account -- help move horses like Big Rainbow and La Peer to these rewarding second annual fund-raiser, CARMAthon, is coming up on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event is based out of Del Mar, and hosted by FanDuel TV, formerly – all tax-deductible -- can be made then, but CARMA accepts donations year-round through its website, In addition, CARMA last year published a children's book, 'What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma,' which explains the many post-race careers available to racehorses; all proceeds from the book's sales go directly to CARMA. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Makeover Champions Returns For 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover
Makeover Champions Returns For 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover originally appeared on Paulick Report. The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today that Makeover Champions, which debuted in 2024, will return as part of the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. Makeover Champions invites members of the Thoroughbred racing industry to demonstrate public support for former connected horses who are headed to the 2025 retraining competition, the largest and most lucrative of its kind in North connections, including breeders, owners, trainers, and stallion farms, are eligible to participate in Makeover Champions. Participating Champions are invited to share updates about their former connected horses throughout the lead-up to the Thoroughbred Makeover and the event itself, demonstrating their dedication to the Thoroughbred breed at all life stages. Additional participation options include volunteering at the Thoroughbred Makeover, attending to cheer on their former connected horses, or making a monetary donation in support of the RRP's charitable mission to increase demand for the breed beyond racing. 'We were thrilled with the response to the pilot of Makeover Champions last year,' said RRP executive director, Kirsten Green. 'The Thoroughbred breed stands to benefit tremendously from the acknowledgement that these horses are likely to have multiple careers in their lifetimes, other than what they were originally bred to do. Having the racing and breeding connections of Makeover entrants putting the reach and visibility of their platforms behind this continuum is incredibly valuable.'The Thoroughbred Makeover is the largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently-retired Thoroughbred racehorses and former broodmares, and is the banner event of the Retired Racehorse Project, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to increasing demand for Thoroughbreds beyond racing. Over 300 horses are registered for this year's competition, the latest class of over 5,000 horses to be directly impacted by the work of the RRP. The final entry will be completed at the end of August and will give a more precise picture of which horses will be competing. Interested former connections of horses currently registered for the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover are invited to fill out this form for more information about Makeover Champions. Additional individual outreach will take place throughout the month. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
