Named for past chief steward Bill Kraatz, who passed away in 2022, the Thoroughbred Makeover Ambassador Award recognizes a Thoroughbred Makeover graduate horse that has gone on to serve as an ambassador for the athleticism and trainability of the retired racehorse in his or her career beyond racing.
Selected by a committee of Makeover officials, this year's winner is Drafted, a multiple graded stakes winner in both the United States and Dubai who also raced in Great Britain. Retiring with over a million dollars in earnings, Drafted's resume as a racehorse speaks for itself - but it's the story of his career beyond racing that can't be found on his Equibase profile that makes him the ultimate ambassador for the Thoroughbred breed.
Katie Tarasevich was in need of a special partner in 2024 when she finally got clearance from her doctor to ride again: she'd broken her ankle and had gone through three surgeries in two years, and as can be common in such challenges, had lost a lot of confidence along the way. She'd also recently lost two Thoroughbreds in the same year. Having adopted two Standardbreds through New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program and experienced the organization's ability to match trainers and horses, she reached out again, in search of the perfect Thoroughbred, with the Thoroughbred Makeover as her goal to help her rebuild her confidence and structure her training time.
Tarasevich admits that Drafted wasn't necessarily what she was expecting: "My Thoroughbreds have always come off the track at five or six, and he was 10." But there were a few unique similarities between Tarasevich and the horse that made her think perhaps this match was meant to be: "I travel a lot, and I noticed that his race career took him to all of the same places I've traveled - I've been to England, I've been to Dubai. And we both have screws in our right ankle!"
Tarasevich was still moving between an electric wheelchair and a walking boot when she brought Drafted home, but the world-traveled gelding took this in stride, following along quietly no matter how Tarasevich was getting around. His ability to quietly navigate new situations gave Tarasevich the confidence to not only prepare him for the Thoroughbred Makeover, but tackle some of her own bucket list items as well - including overnight camping and beach riding on Assateague Island.
"He's game for anything," Tarasevich describes. "I wanted an all-rounder, because I like to do a lot of different things with my horses: we've done some hunter shows, some dressage, we've showed in-hand, and we do trail obstacles and trail events all the time."
While conducting himself like a true professional at every venue and outing, including the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover, the 2024 Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program Championships, and numerous horse shows, organized trail rides and endurance rides, Drafted is a bit of a ham at home.
"I joke that the fame of his international racing career went to his head," laughs Tarasevich. If Drafted doesn't feel that he's getting enough attention from the humans nearby, he's been known to pick up objects and throw them; he knows how to work a zipper and also turns the lights on and off in the barn if he can reach the switch.
While Tarasevich has been battling new health challenges in 2025, she and Drafted are still hitting the trails: they've tackled a few limited distance endurance rides, which are typically around 25 miles. It's not the most conventional sport for Thoroughbreds; the discipline is usually dominated by Arabians, and Drafted tends to turn heads. "He's very well behaved for the vet checks," Tarasevich details. "The vets always say that he's not what they were expecting, in a good way."
Drafted is a true all-rounder; the pair are looking to make their western dressage debut this fall, as well as continue their career in endurance riding and trail events. For Tarasevich, Drafted has been the perfect partner to bring back her confidence and show the world everything that a Thoroughbred can do beyond racing. "I haven't found anything that he's scared of or won't try."
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