Olympian, Derby jock & champion are all for TBs

Leading jockey Rosie Napravnik, the fifth-place finisher in last year’s Kentucky Derby, enjoys some pleasure riding aboard her OTTB Sugar. Photo by Lynn Towery Roberts

Capitalizing on the excitement that surrounds the U.S. horse-sport season, stars of the racetrack and cross-country fields will converge in Kentucky to honor the Thoroughbred as all eyes turn to the fabled battlegrounds of the Kentucky Derby and Rolex Three Day.

Leading jockey Rosie Napravnik, the first female to win the Kentucky Oaks two years ago, and past contender in the Kentucky Derby, will join Pan American Games Eventing gold medalist Lynn Symansky and Olympic dressage rider Linda Zang to honor and support Thoroughbreds at the third annual Thoroughbreds for All event.

Both women will speak to approximately 600 Thoroughbred enthusiasts about their experiences with off-track Thoroughbreds, and help kick off a successful program co-hosted by the Retired Racehorse Training Project, and New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.

“Our lineup this year is as good as it gets!” says Steuart Pittman, founder of the training project. “Lynne (Symansky), Linda (Zang) and Rosie (Napravnik) are all superheroes to their fans. Their insights will inspire us.”

Steuart Pittman

Napravnik, who thrilled race fans with her fifth-place finish in last year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Mylute, will talk about her favorite Thoroughbred, an OTTB named Sugar. (Please see an earlier story with Napravnik about Sugar).

She will share details of her spectacular track career, which includes besting Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone’s 20-year earnings record, and will also discuss her own horse’s versatility in other disciplines.

Anna Ford

The audience will also be invited to imagine the possibilities when Zang, an internationally respected dressage judge and 1980s Olympian, leads a discussion on retraining Thoroughbreds for dressage. During her session, Thoroughbred trainer Nuno Santos and OTTB Ken’s Kitten will perform. Santos and Kitten, who were featured in an earlier article in Off-Track Thoroughbreds.com, have already wowed audiences at earlier Thoroughbred showcases, eliciting comparisons to great Thoroughbred Keen, who competed in the Olympic.

And Symansky, who helped the United States win gold at the 2011 Pan American Games Eventing Competition, and placed fifth at last year’s Rolex, will share her experiences with her retired racehorse Donner. She will also ride a New Vocations horse during her session, and discuss the animal’s attributes.

OTTB Ken’s Kitten, forecasted to be a Grand Prix dressage horse, will appear with his owner/trainer Nuno Santos at the Thoroughbreds for All event. Photo by Heather Benson

As fans of racing and horse sport fans come together to learn more about the virtues of off-track Thoroughbreds, both Pittman and New Vocations Program Director Anna Ford say they are excited to help add to the positive buzz.

“We are thrilled to host this wonderful event again,” Ford says. “Having highly respected equestrians under one roof, who truly love Thoroughbreds, creates a dynamic opportunity!”

To purchase tickets, please click this sentence, which is hyperlinked to Thoroughbreds for All.