Smile Completely satisfied , a graded stakes-winning millionaire whose racing profession was impacted by noncompliant habits, is obtainable for adoption on the Secretariat Heart in Central Kentucky. The transfer of the 5-year-old son of Runhappy to the rehoming middle was organized by coach Kenny McPeek, in response to Mike Mackin of Fortunate Seven Secure, head of the partnership that raced him.
The Secretariat Heart, positioned on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park, works to retrain former racehorses to transition them into new careers as sport horses. He’s amongst 10 horses the middle can retrain at one time.
“Actual proud to be at that degree—to have somebody of that stature to belief us,” Secretariat Heart government director Invoice Nelson mentioned of the connections sending Smile Completely satisfied to them.
Nelson famous that within the two months that Smile Completely satisfied has been on the middle, he has already attracted guests who know him from his racing performances, which included an eighth-place end within the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.
The darkish bay or brown gelding excelled early in his racing profession, successful each begins at age 2, together with the 2021 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. He additionally ran effectively at 3, operating second within the 2022 Risen Star Stakes (G2) and 2022 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) upfront of the Run for the Roses.
Given a break as a consequence of bone bruising over the second half of his 3-year-old season, he returned to win two of his first three begins at age 4, topped by the Alysheba Stakes (G2) final yr on Kentucky Derby day. His hard-headed methods, then manageable, grew to become much less so in subsequent begins.
He wanted to be walked backward for the size of the Ellis Park stretch to reach on the gate for the 2023 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), the place he would end fifth. Three extra races coming this yr would additionally lead to challenges and unplaced efforts. He was gelded in an unsuccessful try to get him again operating to his potential, Mackin mentioned.
He credited McPeek with “making an attempt all the things,” from having his jockey take him straight to the gate after leaving the paddock to the coach giving him off-track preparations on the his Magdalena Farm.
He was by no means imply or bitter, however “simply did not need to be a racehorse anymore,” Mackin mentioned.
Smiile Completely satisfied
trains in April 2022 within the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
His connections tried to promote him this spring on the Keeneland April Chosen Horses of Racing Age Sale, however Smile Completely satisfied fell in need of his reserve when bidding stalled at $140,000. He retires with a 4-2-1 file in 12 begins with earnings of $1,060,580.
Now comes the subsequent chapter on the Secretariat Heart, the place Smile Completely satisfied has been nicknamed “Kenny” after his coach.
His transfer to the Secretariat Heart comes as the Mackin household’s Fortunate Seven Stables is scaling again its partnership, with a few of Mike Mackin’s siblings much less curious about continued racing. Mike and his brother, Craig, plan to proceed to personal horses, although not as Fortunate Seven Secure.
Fortunate Seven Secure’s prime earner, grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll , is coaching for a fall return, Mike Mackin mentioned.
Caroline Tatum, equine program director and coach on the Secretariat Heart, mentioned Smile Completely satisfied has tailored to easygoing life exterior the racetrack. She describes him as having a “suburban dad character, the place he is simply very pleased to be retired.”
She calls him “extraordinarily sensible” and is a horse who “simply desires to do what he desires to do this day.”
Tatum talked about fox looking and cross-country jumps as actions that he might probably get pleasure from in a postracing profession.
“Even when somebody was only a massive racing fanatic and needed to have only a companion horse to hack round or experience … (he) has that kind of character that if you happen to needed to place him in your yard, he’d be pleased with that too,” she mentioned.
Adoption data from the Secretariat Heart is obtainable on-line.
