all in Aftercare

Resolute Racing had never run a horse in a claiming race prior to the sixth race at Churchill Downs Nov. 12. Yet, their first entry at the level may have meant even more to the team than a stakes runner would have, as it served as a crucial milestone for Awesome Hawaiian.

The fact that he was even in the starting gate may have been considered a miracle last year, not to mention that he won with authority.

Whether endowing an entrepreneurship competition he founded at his alma mater, Skidmore College, supporting disabled jockeys, or donating to Thoroughbred aftercare, Ken Freirich believes in leading by example, and last week at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, he was seemingly everywhere all at once, spreading the message.

“Sure did. It was non-stop,” he said a few days after the event when asked if he’d had fun.

As I sit down to write this final installment of Teddy Spaghetti’s road to the Thoroughbred Makeover, it is with great pride for how much he and our team accomplished there; huge appreciation for the family that allowed me the opportunity to take both their new 3-year-old OTTB and their 16-year-old daughter along for the ride; and a little bit of nostalgia that it’s over.

Coming into the Thoroughbred Makeover I couldn’t have been much more confident in where I was with Maverick. Our final run the week before at Stable View had gone just about perfectly with a fifth-place finish in the Beginner Novice only adding two rails in stadium — one of which was definitely my fault — and a couple speed faults on cross country. Most importantly, down there he was so bold and confident out on cross country and gave me a great feeling coming into the makeover.

Another Thoroughbred Makeover is in the books, and what a week it was. Between the rain, the long days, and the incredible athletes we competed against, it’s safe to say this year’s event was one for the memory books. Bringing both Imposing Ruler – aka “Henry” – and Gray Magician made for a full and rewarding experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of how both horses handled themselves.

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