OTTB Showcase: Bringing ‘Full Circle’ by Jen Roytz PaulickReport.com

Team Banks with "Honour" (left) and "Rock" (right)

This week’s tale is one of two , one whose breeder has been as integral a part of his second and third careers as she was in bringing them into this world, and the other, who ended up in the same stable via claim, and has more than reaped the rewards.

Ann Banks is a name many in this industry will recognize. A life-long equestrian, Ann has been involved with racing for decades and has long been a proponent of touting ex- racehorses as viable sport mounts.

“There was never an ‘ah-ha’ moment about the Thoroughbred’s ability as a ,” said Ann. “Having grown up riding ponies as a young child on , the go-to show horses were Thoroughbreds. I was introduced to in the 70s in Kentucky, and my first event horse was a stakes-placed OTTB with 149 starts and competed up to the intermediate level as an eventer!”

Over the years Ann has been a part of many equine organizations aimed at benefiting Thoroughbreds or horses in general. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, she invested volunteer hours in projects like the Junior League of Lexington (helped with therapeutic riding), Masterson Station Park, and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (where she was Chief Steward of Stadium for 10 years).

“I’ve watched the growth and been involved with the Lexington riding community since the 1970s,” said Ann. “I’ve been on the ground floor of the Masterson Station & Kentucky Horse Park programs and have been elected to the owners’ side of the board of the Kentucky Horsemen Benevolence and Protective Association – a racing board – and have witnessed the love and appreciation of the Thoroughbred and off-track Thoroughbred come full circle!”

It’s that crossover interest in racing and eventing that has led so many of her horses to viable and successful second careers.

Case in point: Rockin Rod, who was born to be a racer, but turned out to be that and so much more. Born a third-generation homebred at Ann’s farm, Rock’s pedigree included both steeplechase and flat influences, as well as equal amounts of stamina, heart, and kindness.

“Rock” stadium jumping

“Rock’s family is honest, smart, sweet, kind and willing,” said Ann. “They’re ‘one-hundred-and- ten percenters’ all the way, giving you their all each and every time.”

As a flat race horse running for Ann and her partner, Virginia Lazenby, Rock showed talent for both dirt and turf racing, which prompted Ann to retire him from racing on the flat and let him try his at steeplechasing. After a brief steeplechase career, he came home to Ann and was given a good bit of rest and relaxation while she pondered his options for career number three.

“He was still turned out in a field this past winter when I decided to enter him in the CHC International at Bouckaert Farms in Georgia,” said Ann. “Up-and-coming rider Lauren Lambert has been doing the preliminary education on Rock’s yet-to-be-determined comfort level, but together the pair earned a phenomenal sixth place at Chatt Hills in the Open Beginner Novice division!”

Rock, however, wasn’t the only horse of Ann’s competing at Chatt Hills that weekend. Fellow Banks-raced and retired horse, Honour Mission, was also giving the event a go, but at the Intermediate level against international competition.

“Lauren Lambert has been tapped as a future Eventing Olympian with Honour Mission as they make their way through the levels to four star competition,” said Ann. “Honour has transformed himself into a courageous partner…possibly too courageous, as he’s become very opinionated about how cross country and stadium should be jumped.”

“Honour” with Lauren Lambert Unlike Rock, Honour wasn’t bred by Banks, but rather she bought into him along with her racing partner, Virginia, after he failed to meet his reserve as a yearling and got him started under at her farm before sending him to the track.

“Honour was athletic, but unremarkable and was very shut down mentally. I always suspected he was a dummy foal,” said Ann. “He remained emotionally shut down his whole career.”

Honour raced for Ann and Virginia until being claimed away and then back again as a three- year-old in 2004. When he retired and had a good amount of time away from the track, Ann offered him to good friend Martha Lambert (mother of Lauren mentioned earlier), but Martha wasn’t sold initially.

“Martha has always been one of my go-tos for second career horses,” said Ann. “He was not her first choice, but I talked her into taking him along with another horse I had who ended up timber racing. Martha called two days later and said ‘I LOVE HONOUR!’

Lauren actually rode Honour in his first mini trial, and eventually they sold him to his current owner, Sally Abel, through the Lambert’s Land’s End Farm in Louisville. While Ann no longer owns Honour, she’s still one of his biggest supporters and fans and travels to see him compete whenever she can.

“Ann has a super ability for placing her racehorses into second careers,” explained Lauren. “The great care they receive under her management has always allowed for an easy transition to the show world. It has been a great journey as she has continued to follow each one, and her experience and horsemanship has made her a valuable part of our event team.”

THE DEETS:

Name: Rockin Rod (a.k.a. “Rock”) Born: 2005 Height: 17.3 Color: Dark Bay/Brown Sire: Dance Brightly Dam: Madame Queen Sale History: none Race Record: 16-2-3-0 Race Earnings: $28,391

Name: Honour Mission (a.k.a “Honour”) Born: 2000 Height: 16.1 Hands Color: Bay Sire: Honor and Glory Dam: Daring Maggie Sale History: Sold at November in 2001 for $27,000 Race Record: 13-2-1-0 Race Earnings: $23,219

If you have or know of a retired Thoroughbred with an interesting story to tell, we’d love to hear about it! Just email Jen Roytz ([email protected]) with the horse’s Club name, background story, and a few photos.

Jen Roytz is the marketing and communications director at in Midway, Kentucky. She also handles the farm’s Thoroughbred aftercare efforts. She currently owns two retired Thoroughbreds: Point of Impact (by Point Given; a.k.a. Boomer), who retired from racing in late 2011 and is just starting back under saddle to find his forte as a riding horse, and Shotgun Shine (by Tale of the Cat, a.k.a. Gage), who is in training as a hunter/jumper. Contact Jen on Facebook and Twitter.