The 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will take place today through Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Recently retired racehorses from across the U.S. will participate in the largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world in various disciplines including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, jumping, polo, ranch work and freestyle. Keeneland is a major sponsor of the competition.

Of the 404 entrants, the leading earner is Arklow with a $3,025,996 bankroll accrued during his seven-year career. Trained by Brad Cox for Donegal Racing, who purchased him from Penn Sales, agent, for $160,000 during Book 1 of the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the 9-year-old son of Arch won the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont Park and was sixth in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland. He made a total of six starts at Keeneland, scoring his initial career victory here in 2017 and closing his 39-race career with a ninth-place finish in the 2022 Sycamore (G3), a race in which he was second in 2018. 

Gelded after he was retired from racing, Arklow will be ridden in the Makeover by Gina Gans in the field hunting division in which he will jump obstacles on the Horse Park’s grass steeplechase course.  

Last year’s Makeover featured champion sprinter Whitmore and owner/rider Laura Moquett in the competitive trail division. Whitmore was a fan favorite at Keeneland with four starts in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2), including a win in 2017. Whitmore also won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) here.

The Retired Racehorse Project created the Makeover to showcase the trainability and talent of off-the-track Thoroughbreds. The competition is intended to inspire trainers to become involved in transitioning these horses to second careers, while the National Symposium serves to educate the people involved in the care, training and sale of these horses to responsible owners.

Click here for more information about the Retired Racehorse Project and the Makeover.