Maker's Mark Secretariat Center

Contact: Susanna Thomas

Phone: 859-246-3080

Finding a safe haven for the thousands of Thoroughbreds, those not fortunate enough to go on to second careers as stallions and broodmares, is an age old problem for the racing industry. But thanks to the generosity and foresight of Maker's Mark, through their partnership with Keeneland, and dozens of donors, including Marylou Whitney and Dr. Tony Ryan, dozens of horses will  be retrained and groomed for adoption in the lush splendor of Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park. 

Opened in the spring of 2004, the 22-acre Maker's Mark Secretariat Center, which is operated by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, has space for 15 to 20 retired Thoroughbreds. There are 10 stalls, an office, a conference room, an outdoor arena and numerous paddocks.

The Maker's Mark Secretariat Center welcomes horses from other equine rescue and adoption organizations, which should pave the way for a better working relationship among the various groups and future joint projects. The advent of the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center has already provided a unique forum for communication, cooperation and education among all Thoroughbred rescue organizations.

The Kentucky Horse Park was an obvious choice for the site of the project. Not only is it one of the most beautiful equine oriented facilities in the nation, but it attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. By building the facility at the Kentucky Horse Park, the public will get a firsthand look at a Thoroughbred retirement project and will be better exposed to the issues and needs of such programs. Many of the horses at the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center will be retrained in order that they are suitable for adoption.  

Starting in 2003, Maker's Mark issued an annual commemorative bottle celebrating the three Triple Crown winners during the seventies. The 2003 bottle, which was issued in conjunction with the April 11 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, honored 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. A generous portion of the proceeds from the sale of the bottles was earmarked for the construction of the Maker's Mark Secretariat Center. The 2004 bottle featured Seattle Slew. Affirmed was  the Triple Crown winning horse featured on the 2005 version.