Ten Off-Track Thoroughbreds Expected for Rolex Kentucky

Story from America's Best Racing.

By Melissa-Bauer Herzog

Every spring, horse lovers flock to Lexington during the last weekend of April, and this year is no different. A week before the Kentucky Derby takes place about 75 miles to the west, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event kicks off a busy few weeks for equestrians in the Bluegrass from April 27-30.

It's been five years since an off-the-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) won Rolex—Parklane Hawk provided rider William Fox-Pitt with the blue ribbon in 2012—but the 10 OTTBs currently entered will try to end that drought this year.

It'd be hard to top the excitement of OTTB Blackfoot Mystery and Boyd Martin's come-from-behind run through the three phases (dressage, cross country and stadium jumping) last year where he jumped from 34th after the first phase to sixth in the final standings. Blackfoot Mystery is not entered in this year's Rolex event, but Martin will try to better that performance with OTTB Steady Eddie.

Last year, 14 OTTBs completed the event and four of those horses will return this year. Of those returning, the best finisher last year was Parker, who finished 17th. 

This year's OTTB group made 189 combined starts on the track with 15 victories and 47 on-the-board finishes for $165,988. Rolex newcomer More Inspiration earned the most money of any of the OTTBs with $55,560 while Rise Against (race name Trabuco Kid) won the least at $0 in his four race career."

Three OTTBs will share the title of oldest OTTB to compete with Irish Rhythm, Rise Against and Tsunami all born in 1999. Tight Lines is the youngest at just 10 years of age, with his last race coming six years to the day of the cross-country phase of the event (April 29) in France, according to the Racing Post database.

While multiple OTTBs at Rolex are related to graded stakes winners, Kelecyn Cognac (race name Heir Pegasus) boasts sire power as a son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Interestingly, three of the OTTBs are either granddaughters or great granddaughters of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

The last U.S. rider to win Rolex was racehorse owner and OTTB advocate Phillip Dutton in 2008, though he won't be on an off-the-track Thoroughbred this year. Seven of the riders on OTTBs hope to join Dutton on the list of U.S. riders to win the Rolex event, but they'll have to beat Michael Jung, who has won Rolex for Germany the last two years.

For a listing of the off-Track Thoroughbreds competing at Rolex, click here.