Kentucky native Mike Pegram, a long-time owner best known for coming within a nose of winning the Triple Crown with Real Quiet in 1998, will be honored with the Laffit Pincay Jr.
Christon Jackson, a 24-year-old native of Lexington, was destined to become involved with horses, one breed or another. Jackson grew up surrounded by Arabians and Saddlebreds bred by his parents. From a young age, he was hands-on with horses and frequently in the saddle. The summer before entering the University of Kentucky, where he would graduate in 2023 with degrees in agricultural economics and business/managerial economics, he worked on a Kentucky breeding farm.
In late June, the small northern Idaho community near Coeur d’Alene was shaken by a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two firefighters and left another injured.
In the days that followed, Champions Retreat, a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization in Hayden, Idaho, offered a quiet gesture of support to those most affected: an invitation for local first responders and their families to spend time with the retired racehorses that call the farm home.
America’s Best Racing has launched a monthly series to celebrate women in racing, explore the challenges they face in what has been a male-dominated industry, and highlight their achievements.
Adversity provides the greatest test of a leader. Cate Masterson, director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, aces the test.
Mary’s love for horses began in childhood, where she spent her time riding and showing horses in 4-H. The idea of owning a horse again stayed with her as she grew older. As an adult, she took up riding lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “With the extra free time, I figured it was the perfect time and started my search.”
