Colordale Farm

04/07/2025

I’ve decided as I get older to start some series of knowledge transfer which comes natural to me in how to take care of our horses and our foaling operations. The first video is how we do pregnancy massage for our girls here at Colordale Farm: Sugar is our model!. All our mares and mares in for foaling get weekly pregnancy massage because as they get heavier, different spots on their body become trigger points same like any athlete. A mare will compensate through their topline to carry the weight of a baby, and as caregivers we need to support them to enable the best pregnancy and delivery possible; same as we would help any athlete achieve their goals in sport!

This video was a short version just to show folks how to do pregnancy massage! ENJOY!!

Pregnancy massage on late term mare. Things you can do to ease muscular stress on your mare and relax commonly tense muscles.

04/02/2025

Saw this and thought: This is how most of us horse girls think! Hahaha!

03/24/2025

Blessed are the broodmares! Secretariat’s mama!!❤️

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The mother of our beloved Triple Crown champion Secretariat.

03/22/2025

Useful trick!!

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03/14/2025

It starts…. Tariffs on Horses!! Looks like the industry is going to have to put time and energy into American Breds. ❤️

03/13/2025

Not a colored thoroughbred, but for all you secretariat lovers out there!!! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DQummVvJ7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Some horses are remembered for their speed. Some for their records.

And then there’s Riva Ridge, the c**t who saved a farm and laid the foundation for one of the greatest moments in racing history.

Without him, there might never have been Secretariat.

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The Forgotten Champion

It’s 1971, and Meadow Stable is on the brink of collapse. The legendary farm, run by the bold and determined Penny Chenery, is struggling to stay afloat.

Then along comes Riva Ridge—a tall, bay c**t with a smooth stride and a knack for winning.

At two, he dominated. He won the Champagne Stakes, the Laurel Futurity, and the Futurity Stakes. He was fast. He was confident. He was exactly what Meadow Stable needed.

By the time the 1972 Kentucky Derby rolled around, the farm’s survival rested on his back.

And Riva? He carried it like it weighed nothing.

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Derby Glory, Preakness Heartbreak

On Derby Day, the track was dry—just how Riva liked it.

He broke fast, settled into his rhythm, and never let anyone near him. He cruised to victory with ease, giving Meadow Stable its first Kentucky Derby win in 24 years.

Hope was alive. The Triple Crown was in sight.

But then, the Preakness Stakes.

The skies opened. The track turned to mud—Riva Ridge’s one weakness.

The c**t who had looked invincible just couldn’t find his footing.

He finished fourth. The dream of a Triple Crown was over.

But he had one more shot at greatness.

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The Belmont Redemption

The Belmont Stakes was Riva’s kind of race. No mud, no surprises—just a long, grueling stretch where the best horse would prove himself.

And when the gates flew open, Riva ran like he had something to prove.

There was no contest.

He powered home seven lengths ahead, an easy, effortless winner.

Riva Ridge was now a two-time Classic winner, a champion.

But fate can be cruel.

Because just one year later, a big red c**t named Secretariat would win the Triple Crown and take all the glory.

Riva Ridge became the forgotten hero.

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The Horse That Kept Meadow Stable Alive

Secretariat may have been the legend, but Riva Ridge was the savior.

His Derby and Belmont wins kept Meadow Stable financially afloat, allowing Secretariat to stay in Penny Chenery’s hands.

Without Riva, there is no Secretariat. No “Big Red.” No history-making Triple Crown.

So while his name may not be spoken as often, those who know racing will never forget:

Riva Ridge wasn’t just a champion.

He was the horse that made history possible.

03/10/2025

Holo/Patchi and his groom,Anthony, having a bonding moment before his workout! Thank you for taking such good care of him!!🌟

03/08/2025

Thank you to our mare owners!

03/05/2025

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1970, Diane Crump broke the gender barrier at the Kentucky Derby by being the first female jockey.

Diane Crump: Breaking Barriers in Horse Racing

Diane Crump is a name that forever changed the landscape of horse racing. As the first female jockey to compete in a pari-mutuel race in the United States, she shattered gender barriers and paved the way for women in a male-dominated sport. Her courage, resilience, and passion for racing made her a trailblazer whose legacy continues to inspire.

Making History
On February 7, 1969, at Hialeah Park in Florida, Diane Crump made history by becoming the first woman to ride in a sanctioned thoroughbred race. Her participation was met with resistance—she required a police es**rt to the paddock due to the backlash from male jockeys and racing fans. Despite the challenges, Crump remained undeterred and rode her horse Bridle ‘N Bit into the record books.

Just a year later, in 1970, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first female jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby, riding Fathom. While she didn’t win, her mere presence in the race proved that women belonged in the sport.

Overcoming Challenges
Crump’s career was not an easy one. At the time, female jockeys faced discrimination, skepticism, and outright hostility. Many racing officials and horse owners refused to give women opportunities to ride. However, Crump’s persistence and undeniable talent helped break down those barriers, proving that skill and determination mattered more than gender.

Despite numerous injuries and setbacks, she continued to ride professionally for over a decade. She later transitioned into training and working as a bloodstock agent, continuing her lifelong dedication to the sport.

A Lasting Legacy
Diane Crump’s achievements opened doors for generations of female jockeys, allowing riders like Julie Krone, Rosie Napravnik, and Chantal Sutherland to follow in her footsteps. Today, women compete at the highest levels of horse racing, thanks to pioneers like Crump.

Her story serves as a testament to perseverance and the importance of challenging societal norms. "Somebody had to do it," she once said about her groundbreaking moment in history. And because she did, the world of horse racing has never been the same.

03/04/2025

Three great stallions under one roof! Remarquez’s young c**t is showing promise at the track, WMG’s offspring are doing well at hunter competitions, and Blizzard Warning is starting his first year at stud! Standing in Virginia! Book before all spots are gone: just a few left!

02/27/2025

Good depiction of the jobs in the racing industry! Let’s support our trainers and owners & horses to keep the industry functioning so horses can work and get a good retirement when done working!

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Horse racing in Washington has a $240 million dollar economic impact. This diagram shows how many jobs are associated with just one horse. This year we are expecting 1000 horses for our season.

02/16/2025

Applauding this new rule! FINALLY, Thoroughbreds are being recognized at the highest level of sport beyond racing! Thank you!! https://www.wbfsh.com/news/wbfsh-isbc-groundbreaking-collaboration-agreement-signed?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0bofuYhEjfi0xQbBdLEcfp1G4npvoFWL12IKQpHY9e5Sj3Lw_soIMZysg_aem_Ju_L-ZVw869-HkqMP7ohMA

On Saturday, 8th February 2025 during Jumping International Bordeaux, the WBFSH and the International Stud Book Committee have signed a groundbreaking Collaboration Agreement.

02/14/2025

This is so true! Having a new racehorse, myself, the care he has received and the training and love the race team and his groom has for him is really spectacular…. The problem isn’t racing, it’s those people who devalue Thoroughbreds by saying, “No TB”, or who won’t buy a TB because the believe the crap warmblood breeders and owners say just to sell their high dollar imports with no will or stamina to do the task or with such exaggerated movement no amateur can sit. Never really seeing that import is likely up to 75% TB blood from EU!

Let’s do better for our TBs!! Pay what they are worth here, take the time to relax a mind that was raised in a field untouched until it was put in a stall, raced, touched, groomed, and loved on more then any one of the hunter ponies loved by a little girl, and understand their minds enough to give them a fair chance at a good life- sooo many well bred TBs aren’t given that chance, and their hearts and minds want so much to be what we want them to be that they will break their own hearts and bones to do what we want….

The time is NOW to seize the opportunities for the Thoroughbreds to make a comeback!!

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02/13/2025

Excited for this 2025 foal!!!

02/13/2025

February Edition! More Color in the blood- stay tuned for March! Keep the suggestions rolling for Thoroughbred bloodlines that crop out or display Color/chrome!!

02/10/2025

Holographique Monday update! Got to see Patchi go at the big track today!! Just trotting around but he got to get up there and feel the dirt! Starting to look gooood! Pic with his bff groom!!!