Competitors “tune up” in preparation for the Pimlico show this weekend
(Press Release) The Maryland Jockey Club will host the second annual Totally Thoroughbred Horse Show on the Pimlico Race Course infield on Saturday, July 13. The event starts at 9 a.m. Admission is free.
The inaugural event, last July, featured nearly 800 entries and raised $16,500 for the official charitable beneficiaries. The Totally Thoroughbred Horse Show is the brainchild of Maryland Jockey Club racing secretary Georganne Hale and Stacie Clark-Rogers, manager of the Adena Springs Retirement Program.
“I didn’t have a clue how big it was going to be,” Hale said. “Heading into it I thought we might get 20 horses total but they just kept coming in and coming in. We are much more organized this year. We are starting an hour earlier, added a fourth ring and another judge, which will help make things go quicker. We’ll be ready if we have the same number of horses this year. It is so unusual to come to a race track for these events, so they seemed to enjoy competing at Pimlico and saying they got to ride their horses at the same place where we run the Preakness.”
Hale has taken more than 250 entries as of Wednesday morning, including last year’s overall champion Houston. The most high-profile horse already entered is multiple Grade 2 winner Mr O’Brien. Now 14, the son of Mukaddamah set a course record while winning the 2004 Dixie Stakes (G2) at Pimlico on Preakness day and also emerged victorious in the Kelso Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park five months later for trainer Robin Graham.
“That is a big coup,” added Hale. “Last year, I asked Robin if she was going to show Mr O’Brien but she said no. This year, three of my outriders (Kaymarie Kreidel, Valarie Kounelis & Jodi Murphy) have been taking their lead ponies to shows each weekend to prep for this weekend and got Robin involved, so she started taking Mr O’Brien and is now gung ho for our event. She entered him in three of the events. He is definitely going to be the class of the show. A lot of the horses we will see Saturday did not make it to the track because they showed no ability. To get one that earned $725,000 is pretty cool. Hopefully he turns into a good show horse.”
Part of the Thoroughbred Alliance Show Series (T.A.S.S.), the event is one of a handful of shows for Thoroughbreds where each horse shows under its Jockey Club name. Traditional show horses have their names altered often when they change owners or circuits.
“Because we are part of the series there is a lot of interest to pick up points,” added Hale. “I don’t know if we’ll have the same number of horses, because some were turned off because there were so many horses to compete against. But I think it will be a big success again.”
Proceeds from the event will benefit Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue and MidAtlantic Horse Rescue.
“One of the major components of the show series is the charity arm,” said Fran Burns, Thoroughbred Alliance Show Series coordinator. “Our charities are selected because they are exclusively Thoroughbred dedicated, who are looking to re-train off-track Thoroughbreds. The funds go right back into re-training.”
There will be eight different classes during the day, with six ribbons awarded for each class and nearly $10,000 in prize money.
- Class 1-Old Hilltop Lead Line Presented by The Jockeys Guild (children 5 & under), $50
- Class 2-In Hand Presented by InCompass Solutions, $500
- Class 3-Walk/Trot Presented by Meyers Feed Company (children 15 & under), $100
- Class 4-Walk/Trot/Canter Presented by Winner’s Circle Partners, $300
- Class 5-Trot or Canter Over 2’ Fences Presented by Dana Point Farm, $750
- Class 6-Dark Hollow Farm Hunter Classic Canter Over 3’ Fences, $1,000
- Class 7-Hillwood Stable LLC Jumper Classic Over 3’7” fences, $5,000
- Class 8-Pimlico Perpetual Trophy Presented By Gulfstream Aftercare (1st, 2nd & 3rd place horses from classes 4, 5 & 6), $1,500
New this year is the Jumper Classic.
Mr O’Brien is entered in three classes
“I didn’t realize the jumpers in Thoroughbreds were that well-liked, so by popular demand we added it to the mix,” Hale said. “It will be exciting because it is timed.”
The judges will be Rodney Jenkins, Steuart Pittman, Lenny Hale and Wendy Davis.
Jenkins dominated the American show ring in the 1960s, ’70s and most of the ’80s, and retired as the sports winningest rider. The 69-year-old was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1999. He won more than 70 grand prix classes, rode on ten winning Nations Cup teams from 1973 to 1987 and earned two silver medals in the 1987 Pan American Games as a member of the U.S. Equestrian Team. Since 2000, he has been a Laurel Park-based trainer.
The sponsors for the Totally Thoroughbred Horse Show are Abba Vet Supply, Adena Springs Retirement Program, Claiborne Farm, Dana Point Farm, Dark Hollow Farm, First Impression Quality Embroidery and Signage, Hess Equine Veterinary Services, Hillwood Stable LLC, Holly Robinson Racing, InCompass Solutions, Kentucky Equine Research, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Horse Industry Foundation, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Maryland Vet Group LLC, Meyers Feed Company, NextCar, Radisson Cross Keys Hotel, The Equiery, The Jockey Club-T.I.P., The Jockeys’ Guild and Winner’s Circle Partners.
