While the eyes of the racing world are focusing on the upcoming Kentucky Derby, this week, several former racehorses will chase their own equivalent of a Grade 1 accomplishment. As of Sunday evening, five Thoroughbreds were set to contest North America’s most prestigious three-day event, the Land Rover Kentucky five-star, beginning Thursday at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. International events are rated on a star system according to difficulty, with a five-star being the highest level; there are only a handful of such events in the world, and the Kentucky event is one of only two on this continent, the other being held at Fair Hill in Maryland in the fall. Merely completing a five-star three-phase event, in which horses are tested in dressage, cross country, and stadium jumping, is considered an accomplishment. There are five Thoroughbreds, three of whom raced, in the five-star; there are also several other Thoroughbreds in the Kentucky four-star, which will run concurrently. Two of this year’s Thoroughbred competitors completed the five-star last year, in Palm Crescent with Meghan O’Donoghue and Sorocaima with Buck Davidson. Palm Crescent, a now-17-year-old Quiet American gelding, finished 11th at last year’s Kentucky five-star. The gelding, who was bred by the late Eugene Melnyk, raced 12 times, with one win. :: Bet the races on DRF Bets! Sign up with code WINNING to get a $250 Deposit Match, $10 Free Bet, and FREE DRF Formulator.  “There’s just no other breed, you know?” O’Donoghue told the Retired Racehorse Project of her affinity for Thoroughbreds. “They just try so, so, so hard.” Sorocaima, who was bred by Machmer Hall and Poindexter Thoroughbreds, finished 30th at last year’s event with Davidson. The 12-year-old Rock Hard Ten gelding was a war horse on the racetrack, racing 43 times with four wins. “He’s a very good horse,” Davidson told Fair Hill publicity after the gelding competed there last fall. “He’s got a gallop, and he’s honest.” Jessica Phoenix, a multi-time Olympian for Canada, will bring her current five-star partner Wabbit to Kentucky. Registered as Molinaro Kissing, the 13-year-old Ontario-bred was unplaced in five starts. The remaining two Thoroughbred five-star entrants never raced. Campground, a 16-year-old Forest Camp gelding, will compete with Erin Kanara, and Twilightslastgleam, a 13-year-old National Anthem gelding, will compete under Jennie Saville. Throughout the week of the five-star, a number of demonstrations or master classes will take place with well-known horsemen on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park, several of which directly pertain to Thoroughbreds. On Friday, Davidson, who is a member of the Retired Racehorse Project’s board, will present a class in jumping exercises for moving horses up the levels of eventing; demonstrators for the class will include several Throughbred Makeover graduates. On Saturday, retired jockey Rosie Napravnik, who has since launched a business re-training racehorses, will make a presentation in evaluating horses as eventing prospects, featuring several recently retired horses from the Secretariat Center, an adoption program on the grounds of the Horse Park. New Vocations holds event New Vocations, one of the nation’s flagship Thoroughbred retraining and adoption programs, will host its annual open barn and barbecue at its Lexington, Ky., facility on April 28, during the Kentucky three-day event. In addition to meet-and-greets with adoptable horses, live music, and a silent auction, attendees will be able to take in educational panels. Adoptable horses will be showcased in a master class on introductory jumping exercises for Thoroughbreds, led by prominent eventer Sara Kozumplik. Lectures will also be presented on common challenges with off-track Thoroughbreds and navigating common racetrack injuries, with Rhodes Bell and New Vocations facility director and trainer Leandra Cooper presenting. For tickets and information visit newvocations.org TAA at Kentucky Derby The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, which accredits and supports Thoroughbred re-training or re-homing facilities around the country, will have a presence at Churchill Downs during the lead-up to next week’s Kentucky Derby. The TAA will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of “Champions Day,” the Wednesday, May 3 card at Churchill. Following the running of the race, a presentation will be made to the winning connections. The TAA will also be present at Churchill during the week to facilitate a VIP experience auctioned off earlier this year in a campaign promoting aftercare awareness. “We appreciate the support from Churchill Downs to continue to feature the importance of accredited aftercare,” said Emily Dresen, the TAA’s director of funding and events. “We are looking forward to being present during such an exciting week of racing.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.