HISTORY of the Center

The Secretariat Center began as a visionary project to showcase to the world the athletic abilities and talents of the American Thoroughbred. Thanks to the collaboration between the Kentucky Horse Park and the racing industry, Maker’s Mark issued three limited edition bottles of bourbon through the Keeneland commemorative bottle program, featuring Triple Crown winners Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. each bottle was signed by the horse’s owners, trainers, and jockeys. The proceeds from these bottles funded the construction of the Secretariat Center facility. Along with thanks to the additional generosity of Castleton Lyons Farm, Eaton Sales, Mary Lou Whitney, her husband John Hendrickson, and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the Center opened its doors in October of 2004. It is comprised of 20 acres of paddocks, a ten-stall barn, an outdoor arena, a round pen, a Hitchcock pen, and a small cross-country course. The Center has the ability to house 10 Thoroughbreds and accommodate all in different phases of training and in turn offer them for for adoption.

We provide an education for former racehorses so they are able to transition into new careers as sport horses. We stand as a beacon for those interested in learning about reschooling off-the-track thoroughbreds and specifically about their assets and virtues. Because of the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Riggio, owners of Barnes & Noble and devoted fans of Thoroughbred racing, the Center enjoys a collection of resources on training horses in its onsite training Library. We have educational opportunities from high school through college for volunteers and public groups.