The Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America is a showcase competition for recently retired racehorses and broodmares. West Point Thoroughbreds is one of the top racing stables in the country and is dedicated to guiding its horses into second careers with the assurance of lifelong support.

Two horses competing in the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover Oct. 9-12 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington come directly from West Point Thoroughbreds’ arsenal of equine athletes: grade 1 winner Decorated Invader, now owned by Mary Termer, and grade 3 winner Cavalry Charge, now under the care of Erin Knehr. Although each horse’s journey is unique, the commitment to ‘putting the horse first’ has been a common theme.

Born with a passion for horses, Mary Termer grew up playing with her collection of Breyer horses and taking ballet classes. She began riding horses in 4H, which led to her discovery of dressage.

“I fell in love with (dressage) and never looked back,” Termer said.

Termer earned her United States Dressage Federation (USDF) bronze medal in October 2020 with her off-the-track Thoroughbred Devon’s Bad Boy. Currently a Veterinary Assistant with Crocker Veterinary Animal Hospital in Scottsville, Ky., Termer has worked in veterinary medicine for 20 years. She owns a farm in Glasgow, Ky. with her wife, Stacy, which is home to her many animals including horses, cats, dogs, chickens, and donkeys. 

Termer and Decorated Invader are entered in dressage as their sole discipline at the Thoroughbred Makeover.

Decorated Invader, bred in Kentucky by Redmon Farm in 2017, is by Declaration of War  and out of the multiple stakes-producing Arch mare Gamely Girl. West Point Thoroughbreds purchased the colt for $200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Under the guidance of trainer Christophe Clement, Decorated Invader progressed through the stages of training with ease. His talent was unveiled the summer of his 2-year-old season when he broke his maiden by a comfortable 3 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course.

Erin Birkenhauer, chief operating officer for West Point Thoroughbreds, recalls the ownership group calling an audible when deciding to ship Decorated Invader to Woodbine for the Summer Stakes (G1T).

“We thought the long stretch would suit his running style,” Birkenhauer said.

It certainly did.

After a brief bump at the start with the rival to his inside, Decorated Invader raced mid-pack through the first half. Decorated Invader began picking rivals off one by one at the thee-eighths pole. He closed ground in the stretch to secure the Summer Stakes (G1T) by 1 3/4 lengths.

“That was amazing,” Birkenhauer said. “It was just so cool for him to be a grade 1 winner so early in his career.”

The win earned him a berth into the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, which resulted in a fourth-place finish.

Decorated Invader kicked off his 3-year-old campaign in 2020 with three straight stakes wins: the Cutler Bay, Pennine Ridge (G2T), and the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2T).

His next win would be seven starts later at the age of 5 in an allowance optional claiming race Oct. 23, 2022 at Woodbine.

After a runner-up effort in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park, he returned almost a month later to finish 11th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T). Decorated Invader retired with a 6-4-1 record in 17 starts and earned $617,823.

Another pair to watch at the Thoroughbred Makeover is Erin Knehr and former West Point Thoroughbreds runner Cavalry Charge.

Knehr grew up riding hunter-jumpers and competing on the A-Circuit. The Virginia native enrolled as an Animal Science major at Virginia Tech in 1997 and continued to ride on the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) team throughout college. Moving to Kentucky to continue her education, Knehr earned her masters degree in Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky in 2004.

Knehr and her husband, Chris, own a farm in Midway, Ky. The couple have two daughters, Rylee and Jami, who share in their passion for horses. Under the banner of Catalyst Bloodstock, they use their combined knowledge in genetics and reproduction to breed a few Thoroughbreds each year and raise them to sell as yearlings.

Knehr competed in the Thoroughbred Makeover in 2018 with stakes winner Conquest Pacemaker in the Show Hunter and Show Jumper disciplines.

“It was such a rewarding experience that I knew I wanted to do it again,” Knehr said.

Entered in the Show Hunter and Show Jumper disciplines in this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover, Knehr will be riding grade 3 winner Cavalry Charge.

Cavalry Charge was bred in Kentucky by Glencrest Farm in 2017, and is the first foal out of the Candy Ride   mare Sweet Talkin. West Point Thoroughbreds and Rob Masiello purchased the son of Honor Code  for $375,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

At 3, Cavalry Charge found his groove on the racetrack in his eighth start, winning a maiden special weight by three lengths on May 31, 2020 at Churchill Downs. His next three wins would come at age four against allowance company across three different Kentucky tracks: Churchill Downs, Kentucky Downs, and Keeneland.

In his second start at 5 Cavalry Charge won the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T) as the third-longest shot on the board at 35-1 on Feb. 19, 2022 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He would place in two more stakes contests that season.

Returning to the New Orleans oval at 6 hoping to replicate the previous year’s success in the New Orleans Stakes (G3T) on Feb. 18, 2023, but finished last of seven. Cavalry Charge retired with a 5-3-3 record in 23 starts and earned $495,061.

Over the past ten months, Decorated Invader and Cavalry Charge have successfully transitioned from the racetrack to their respective second careers. Each horse has overcome challenges, reached new heights, and shown tremendous potential that will propel them beyond the Thoroughbred Makeover. Their progress is a credit to Termer and Knehr’s patience and commitment to the well-being of their equine partners.

“This is a long-term horse for me. … I love the process of getting ready for the (Thoroughbred) Makeover. But at the end of the day, if he’s not ready for it we wouldn’t do it,” Knehr said.

Having the support from family during this process has been invaluable to Knehr. Whether it’s been driving her and Cavalry Charge to schooling shows on the weekends, helping with chores around the farm, grooming the horses, or cheering for her after clearing the last jump at a show—showing up means the world to her.

Termer shares that appreciation for her family’s contribution to her journey with Decorated Invader.

“I couldn’t do this without Stacy, my wife,” said Termer. “Anybody that knows horses knows it takes a village.”

As of Saturday, Oct. 5, there are 303 horses entered in the Thoroughbred Makeover, 13 of which are graded stakes horses. Other notable graded stakes horses competing in the event include multiple graded stakes-winning millionaires Drafted and Silver Dust.

Preliminary competition begins Oct. 9 and concludes Oct. 10. Click here to view the complete list of entries. The Finale Championships is Oct. 12. For more information, visit Retired Racehorse Project’s website.