A lot of times when people talk about Thoroughbreds in sport “the heart” is what is referenced as their biggest and greatest qualities: the heart to step up and give their riders everything within them to win. But while we as humans tend to focus all on the winning, what we sometimes miss is what their hearts give to us.

As I write this article I realize that we are 40 days away from loading these kids on the trailer at 5 in the morning to heading to Lexington for the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover. While that may hit the panic button in my gut a little bit, it also puts a smile on my face, and brings me to reflect on the time I have had with not only Salesman this year but my other entries as well. But there is something a bit more special to me about Salesman, and it simply is his heart. August has been a time for him to slow down and simply be a horse at a time in my life when I just needed him to be my horse and my friend. We have taken long hacks and spent a few extra minutes grabbing some grass under a tree on our way back to the barn, just sitting, where he simply allows me a time to enjoy being with him as a horse, and as my buddy.

Courtesy of Kristina Hobbs

You see, had I known just who this horse was, or the opportunity he provided last year when I agreed to take him on, I probably would have said that as a young mom and wife I didn’t feel I could do him justice. I had pushed my own dreams and desires aside for a while to focus on my family, to focus on the parts of horses (sales, training, etc.) that could produce an income to help put food on the table. Not to say competing doesn’t do that, but we all don’t have the time and resources to take eight-plus horses to shows regularly to really make a living doing it.

So every year I sold my Makeover horses. I produced young horses to solid competition, horses that others could continually bring up the levels, and I could cheer them on and enjoy watching them make others dreams come true. I’ve watched kids run around American Eventing Championships on horses I’ve sold to them, moms whose kids have gone off to college get back in the show ring for the first time in many years, and many, many other wonderful moments. And I still to this day love that. But producing Salesman and a horse of his quality has reminded me that those dreams are still in there in me: his heart has reminded me of mine.

Salesman has made me excited to get out showing him again, and motivated me to do it no matter how hard it may be to juggle having a toddler along for the ride. He has stood patiently at the mounting block for not only me to get on, but waited for my son to run up full speed behind him trying to buckle his helmet, to climb up on the mounting block and let mom reach down to pick up and let him “warm him up” and even today “tell Salesman where to go” as he learns to steer. Because of the spark he lit, when I was offered to buy my upper-level prospect mare Shelbenie (my 2020 Makeover horse) back this spring, I stopped worrying about the “things” and just said yes. And I am so thankful she is back home with us as well.

Horses like Salesman are different, and they are special and have heart beyond sports: they have hearts that bring ours to life. To make us all dream a little bit more. Reach for a little bit more. And be better. And that to me is truly the heart of the Thoroughbred. It’s the stories that the public turns the TV on to watch on race day, to hear about the underdogs, the trainers who have scraped from nothing to be on the big stages, and that is what makes Salesman such a good ambassador for the breed. His heart, and his big goofy red-headed personality. As we head towards the Makeover I could tell you all the fine details in his training I want to clean up, my deep desire to win on him, because who doesn’t. But more than anything I am honored to be a part of his story and to tell stories about just how special these horses can be, not just on the track, but in their second careers as well. And frankly, just how special they are to be a part of our lives and families. My only hope is to do him justice and show you all just how special this boy is.

The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers. View all of the initiatives supported by The Jockey Club.