Public voting is now open for the inaugural Miss Mareworthy Pageant, a fully digital competition created by Mareworthy Charities to recognize Thoroughbred mares and celebrate the qualities represented by M.A.R.E.: Mindful, Authentic, Resilient and Expressive.
The inaugural field includes 107 eligible Thoroughbred mares ranging from 4 to 31 years old, with an average age of just over 13. Among them are two-time Eclipse Award champion and back-to-back Breeders' Cup winner Goodnight Olive; Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel; Lemons Forever, whose 47-1 victory in the 2006 Kentucky Oaks remains the biggest upset in the race's history; and 2022 Bourbonette Oaks winner and Kentucky Oaks starter Candy Raid. They are joined by accomplished producers, successful second-career athletes and cherished companions whose stories demonstrate the value of Thoroughbred mares throughout their lives.
Voting will remain open through September 13 at mareworthymatch.com/miss-mareworthy. Registered Mareworthy Match users may vote once per mare per day and may support as many different mares as they choose. The 10 mares receiving the most public votes will advance to the judges' round.
Industry professionals to judge the Top 10 finalists
The judging panel for the inaugural Miss Mareworthy Pageant includes:
* Reagan Earlywine, Miss Kentucky 2026
* Andie Biancone, horsewoman and racing media personality
* Suzie Picou-Oldham, Director of Inspections for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and a former jockey, owner and breeder
The judges will independently evaluate the Top 10 finalists based on photographs highlighting each mare's glamour, conformation and in-action qualities, along with an interview response reflecting the M.A.R.E. values. The inaugural Miss Mareworthy is scheduled to be announced October 19.
More than $21.7 million in combined earnings across the 107-mare field:
* 92 contestants raced, while 15 were unraced or listed as nonstarters
* The mares earned $10,726,783 during their racing careers
* 52 had been bred, while 55 had never been bred as of the report dates
* They produced 177 registered foals
* 120 of those foals became starters
* 85 became winners
* Their progeny earned $11,007,446
* The mares and their offspring earned $21,734,229 collectively
* The field represents 99 different sires and 22 states and Canadian provinces
The statistics were compiled from Equineline reports for 106 contestants and the known racing and breeding history of Breezy Gal 2020, a registered but unnamed Thoroughbred who was unraced and never bred.
Goodnight Olive is the leading racehorse by earnings in the field. The two-time Eclipse Award champion and winner of the 2022 and 2023 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint earned $2,196,200 during her career. Caravel, winner of the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint against males, ranks second with career earnings of $1,983,327.
Lemons Forever earned $648,940 during a racing career highlighted by her historic victory in the 2006 Kentucky Oaks. Dismissed at odds of 47-1, she rallied from last in the 14-horse field to win by 1½ lengths, becoming the longest-priced winner in Kentucky Oaks history. She later became an exceptional producer and was named the 2017 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.
Candy Raid earned $264,520 during her career. She won the 2022 Bourbonette Oaks at odds of more than 52-1, earning her place in the starting gate for that year's Kentucky Oaks.
Together, Goodnight Olive and Caravel account for three Breeders' Cup victories, while Lemons Forever and Candy Raid bring two memorable Kentucky Oaks stories to the inaugural Miss Mareworthy field.
Accomplished producers among the contestants
Goldie's Sis leads the field by number of registered foals, having produced 11. Lemons Forever follows with 10, while Alexandra Rylee, Revenue and Truffles each produced nine.
Celtic Sunshine leads all contestants by number of winning offspring. All eight of her registered foals became starters and winners. Alexandra Rylee, Lemons Forever and Truffles each produced six winners, while Edens Apple and Money Card produced five apiece.
The five leading mares by progeny earnings are:
1. Lemons Forever -- $4,537,665
2. Alexandra Rylee -- $1,433,448
3. Celtic Sunshine -- $630,719
4. Money Card -- $402,158
5. Twitterpated -- $388,300
Lemons Forever's produce includes champion and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled, who earned $3,486,880, and Grade 1 winner Unbridled Forever, who earned $805,257.
Collectively, the contestants produced eight graded or listed black-type winners and two champions.
"These mares have contributed to the Thoroughbred industry in extraordinary ways, but their value cannot be measured solely by earnings, race records or produce records," said Kyle Rothfus, co-founder and president of Mareworthy Charities. "Miss Mareworthy gives the public an opportunity to learn their individual stories and celebrate them as athletes, mothers, partners and deeply loved horses. Every mare in this field is worthy of being seen."
Celebrating mares beyond racing and breeding records
While the inaugural field includes some of the most recognizable racing and broodmare accomplishments in the industry, Miss Mareworthy was designed to celebrate far more than a mare's record.
Some contestants became champions. Some produced champions. Some found success in new careers after leaving racing or breeding.
Others are beloved for the relationships they have built with the people fortunate enough to know them.
The field also includes three Mareworthy graduates: Run Binky Run, Mill Valley Girl and Egoli.
Run Binky Run was the first horse Rothfus and his husband, Sean Smith, brought home from Puerto Rico through Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, before Mareworthy existed. Her arrival helped begin the chain of events that ultimately brought Worthy of Wings into their lives. Worthy of Wings later became the inspiration and namesake for Mareworthy.
Mill Valley Girl entered a new chapter through Mareworthy's direct-placement program after her responsible owners sought a carefully planned retirement from broodmare life. She is now thriving as a show horse.
Egoli spent a short time at Mareworthy before being adopted and later excelled in the broodmare barrel division at the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover. She has continued her success in barrel racing and has earned The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program championships.
Industry support for Miss Mareworthy
The inaugural Miss Mareworthy Pageant is made possible through the support of Fasig-Tipton, Godolphin, Lexington Equine Medical Group, Horse Husband Stables, Blue Hens, Hallway Feed and Hot Pink Stables.
Their support provides a $1,000 prize pool for the six highest-placing mares while helping Mareworthy Charities introduce the competition to racing fans, aftercare advocates and Thoroughbred enthusiasts across the country.
"We are grateful to the organizations and individuals who believed in this idea during its inaugural year," Rothfus said. "Their support is helping us place Thoroughbred mares in the spotlight and demonstrate that their stories remain worth following long after their racing or breeding careers have ended."
How to vote
Voting is open September 1--13, 2026.
Participants must create or log into a Mareworthy Match account. Each registered user may vote once per mare per day and may vote for as many different mares as they choose. The 10 contestants receiving the most public votes will advance to the judges' round.
Vote and meet the 107 contestants at: https://www.mareworthymatch.com/miss-mareworthy
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
