Big Fame takes title at Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Crossing the country, California-bred Big Fame, now based in Arizona, was honored as the overall champion at the 2024 Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, at the finale competition on Saturday evening at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

More than 280 Thoroughbreds, all of whom have had a race or published work within a recent timeframe and none of whom had begun serious re-training for a second career before last December, competed across 10 equestrian disciplines at the Makeover, which offered over $100,000 in prize money across the event. After two days of preliminary competition, the top five horses from each discipline moved on to a finale on Saturday, to determine 10 divisional winners. That group was then discussed by a panel of judges in each discipline to determine an overall champion, with that award sponsored by Churchill Downs.

Big Fame and Angela Carmitchel, a professional rider based out of her Taylermade Equestrian Services in Scottsdale, Ariz., took home the overall title, which came with an additional $10,000 check, after qualifying for the final in two disciplines over the week. The mare won the eventing competition, and was second in show jumping.

“She has got such a great brain, very athletic, willing, and smart,” Carmitchel said. “She’s got the work ethic of a Thoroughbred.”

Carmitchel said it is useful to be able to train locally in Flagstaff, Ariz., at a high elevation to help work on the mare’s overall fitness. That helped her adjust from desert-type footing competing farther west to heavier grass footing in Kentucky, which can sap the stamina of some horses.

“Her fitness is really important, obviously, in eventing and show jumping,” Carmitchel said. “The whole training process has included taking her on mileage trips or taking her to different trainers – I have an amazing group of trainers in Arizona.”

Big Fame, a 5-year-old mare by Mr. Big, was bred in California by Dr. Dorothee Kieckhefer and Leucadialand Stables. Mainly competing on the Northern California circuit, she put together a racing recent of 13-2-2-2 with earnings of $29,070. Kieckhefer, who still co-owns the mare, was on hand at the Thoroughbred Makeover.

“From the very beginning, I thought she would just make a wonderful jumper or eventing horse,” Kieckhefer said. “She just has the presence for the ring, and I think she has a lot of fun. All of the trainers that had her said that she has a wonderful work ethic, but she never really raced in the top levels — she’s much better served in this area.”

Comin’ Back, trained by Madison Barnett, won the show jumping discipline finale at the Makeover, defeating the eventual overall champion in second.

The other eight discipline winners at the finale were He Did It, trained by Anissa Butler, in the show hunters; In The Air, trained by Caitlin Brooks, in the field hunters; Flight To Paradise, trained by Kelly Ransom, in dressage; Baytown Ringer, trained by Meghan Shader, in polo; Pretty In Prado, trained by Monique Cameron-Hamby, in the freestyle; Not Phar Now, trained by Jessica Frederick, in barrel racing; Eagle Feather, trained by Colton Thacker, in competitive trail; and Brooklyns Finest, trained by Raechel Ramsey, in ranch work.

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