Prince of New York, a 6-year-old son of Cairo Prince bred by Clark Brewster, led an impressive showing by New York-breds at last week’s Thoroughbred Makeover. Photo courtesy of Retired Racehorse Project.
By Melissa Bauer-Herzog
Prince of New York led the Empire State charge at last week’s Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, taking home the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Achieve Equine.
Five New York-breds made the Makeover’s 10-discipline Finale with Prince of New York leading the results. Bred by Clark Brewster and foaled at Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds in Fort Edward, the 6-year-old son of Cairo Prince proved a solid competitor throughout the show.
After two days of preliminary competition, Prince of New York qualified for Saturday’s Finale in both the Show Jumpers and Show Hunters divisions and impressed in both of his rounds. The stallion had finished second in the preliminary competition by just over 6 points to make it into Saturday’s showcase. In the end, his Finale score of 133.5 was 17 points better than the runner-up to secure Champion Show Jumper honors.
“He’s got all the qualities that we look for – he’s a beautiful mover, very pretty to look at and once we started jumping, he really had a good technique,” said Prince of New York’s rider and owner Chris Bennings. “He seems to really like coming to the horse shows. He’s bred six mares so far, so to come be a green horse and really keep it together and be professional is really exciting.”
Prince of New York won two of eight starts with a second and a third for $40,256 in earnings during his racing career.
After a brief break while the course was reset for the Show Hunters, Prince of New York was back in the Covered Arena to look for his second championship of the day. Placing third in the preliminary competition of Show Hunters, he was a clear second in the discipline to take home two ribbons. Hours later at the end of the competition, fans from around the country voted via text to award Prince of New York the popular vote.
Yireh, a 4-year-old daughter of Well Noted bred by Angel Montanez, shared the Empire State Success Story Top New York-Bred Award. Photo courtesy of Retired Racehorse Project.
The co-winner of the Empire State Success Story Top New York-Bred Award presented by NYTB, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA), and the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) for preliminary competition placings, Yireh had finished first in Polo to make Saturday’s Finale.
All scores were reset for the Finale and the 4-year-old daughter of Well Noted again put in a top performance to finish second with Buck Schott aboard. Foaled at Monhill Farm in Pine Plains, Yireh was joined by fellow New York-bred Buffalo Dancer in the Finale with that filly repeating the fifth-place performance she’d shown during preliminary competition.
Bred by Angel Montanez, Yireh raced twice at Finger Lakes during her career. The 3-year-old War Dancer filly Buffalo Dancer was a four-time runner racing in New York and Florida for owner/breeder Curragh Stables. Ridden at the Thoroughbred Makeover by owner Benjamin Lynch, the filly was foaled at Sugar Plum Farm in Saratoga Springs.
Diggin For Dough, a 4-year-old daughter of Teuflesberg bred and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, shared the Empire State Success Story Top New York-Bred Award with Yireh after taking home first place in Competitive Trail. Navigating a difficult course during Saturday’s competition, Diggin For Dough finished just over 10 points behind the leader to finish third in the Finale.
Owned and trained at the end of her career by Christopher Keller, Diggin For Dough raced 11 times with one third-place finish. The filly’s after-racing owner Toni Harmon, who earned the Top Amateur Award sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, rode Diggin For Dough in the Competitive Trail class.
New York-bred stakes winner Evaluator, a 7-year-old Overanalyze gelding bred by EKQ Stables Corp., made the Finale after competing in the Freestyle discipline. Photo courtesy of Retired Racehorse Project.
The most accomplished New York-bred in the overall competition, the stakes-winning Evaluator, finished fourth in the Freestyle discipline’s preliminary competition to earn a spot in the Finale. The 7-year-old Overanalyze gelding impressed the judges with a gym-inspired routine Saturday to earn 107.210 points for second in the Finale. Evaluator also helped owner-rider Colleen Nolan take home the Top Amateur Award sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, for their placing.
Bred by EKQ Stables and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Evaluator placed in the top three in eight of 18 starts and earned $375,148. He ended his career for trainer H. James Bond for owner R and H Stable.
Dates for the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover have not yet been announced but the Retired Racehorse Project anticipates it will be held on a similar date with the event staying at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
Applications can be submitted for next year’s competition from January 2- 22 with horses who have worked or raced on or after July 1, 2021 eligible to compete. Horses may not have had more than 15 retraining rides prior to December 1 of this year if they wish to show in the 2023 Makeover.
