The Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium

"[The Makeover] was an amazing opportunity to not only show but also see so many disciplines and watch these talented animals go from one discipline to the next with ease. The atmosphere was so light and friendly; even across disciplines there was so much support from everyone."
NATHAN BRADLEY, 2022 BILL KRAATZ THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER AMBASSADOR AWARD WINNER

Horse Eligibility

Because the Makeover is a training competition designed to evaluate a horse’s progress in a prescribed period of time, we set eligibility requirements to ensure that all horses are of similar experience at the starting point. Horses must meet these requirements to be eligible for the 2026 competition in the Retiring Racehorse division:

Must be registered with The Jockey Club and have a Jockey Club-registered microchip.
Raced or had a published work on or after July 1, 2024.
Not have started in training for a second career before December 1, 2025 (other than a maximum of 15 allowable rides).
Tack walking as part of a veterinarian-prescribed injury rehab plan is considered exempt from the 15-ride rule. Further exemptions and details can be found in the rulebook (the 2026 edition will be released later in December).
Horses may not have had prior shows or competitions before December 1st, 2025

The RRP also offers a Former Broodmare division; eligibility is as follows:

Must be registered with The Jockey Club and have a Jockey Club-registered microchip
Have foaled or been bred in the 2024 breeding season or after, as reported by The Jockey Club
Have one lifetime start or published work
Since the history of each broodmare can vary significantly, broodmares will not be subject to the 15-ride limit
Horses may not have had prior shows or competitions before December 1st, 2025

For both divisions:

For the purposes of establishing eligibility in the Thoroughbred Makeover, an event is considered a competition if it meets any of the following criteria: publicly marketed as a competition/show, issues placings, issues scores, issues competitor numbers, or requires participants to follow a predetermined course or pattern. Horses that participate in such an event prior to December 1, 2025 are ineligible.
Horses with verifiable starts or training as steeplechasers may hunt first or second field in organized foxhunting meets during their active race training only. Horses cannot participate in hunter paces prior to December 1, 2025 under any circumstances.
While it is possible for a horse to be eligible for both the retiring racehorse and former broodmare divisions, a horse cannot compete in both divisions. The Makeover Trainer is responsible for indicating which division they would like the horse to participate in on the registration form.

The RRP has a strictly enforced Horse Welfare Policy in effect at the competition, which covers horse protection, abuse and neglect, soundness, and body condition. Trainers agree to adhere to the United States Equestrian Federation’s Guidelines for Drugs and Medication, and random testing will take place. (Find the Horse Welfare Policy in the 2026 rulebook, which will be available in December.)

Trainer Application

Interested in competing a horse at the Thoroughbred Makeover? All participants must first submit an application with all of the required materials, as outlined in this section.

The purpose of the application process is for the RRP's application committee to make the best possible determination that you are capable of safely and competently restarting a Thoroughbred in your primary discipline of experience.

Application fees are outlined below in the "Makeover Fees" section.

Application Components:

Trainer Details
Experience
Personal Narative

References
Videos, taken within two years of application submission (Video Guide)
Vet letter of recommendation (Sample)

Application Timeline:

December 15th, 2025: the application can be viewed and worked on as a savable draft starting on December 15th, 2025 through January 4th, 2026.
January 5th, 2026: during the application window, open January 5th through January 23rd, 2026, you'll be able to submit your completed application.
January 23rd, 2026: late application submissions are accepted until June 26th, 2026.
February 17th, 2026: decisions released for those that submit their application prior to the January 23rd deadline.
Late applicants can expect to receive a decision on their application within 4 weeks of application submission.

Late Applications:

Late applications are accepted January 23rd, 2026 through June 26th, 2026. At this time, we are not maintaining a waitlist. All late applications are subject to the standard review process with the addition of a late fee. Anyone wishing to submit an application may do so through the Trainer Portal.

Trainer Portal

Makeover Fees

Registration fees: collected upon application submission

$200 one-time annual trainer application fee, regardless of trainer status (individual, team captain, or team member)*
$150 horse registration fee per horse, billed to individuals and team captains

*Late trainer applications (received after 5 PM EST January 23rd, 2026) will require a $300 trainer application fee, plus the $150 per horse the trainer intends to enter.

Final Entry fees: billed at the time of final entry August 3rd through 28th

First discipline, including schooling and drug testing fees: $150 per horse
Second discipline: $100 per horse*
Stalls (horses or tack, flat rate for the week): $255 per stall
Ship-ins (no stall): $60 per Final Entry form
Non-compete horse fee: $50 per horse*
Makeover Marketplace listing per horse*
- Standard: $50
- Featured: $60

*All participating horses that complete a final entry will require a first discipline fee and stall (or ship-in) fee at minimum. The rest of the fees are optional.

All fees and paperwork deadlines, along with all other event policies and discipline formats, apply to both Retiring Racehorse and Former Broodmare divisions. Details on fees, refund policies, deadlines, discipline formats, and event policies will be fully outlined in the rulebook, which will be published in early December.

Breakdown of Fees