Crushin’ Hard to Vie for Title of “America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred”
Chloe Duffy (left) with Crushin Hard
presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), is the largest retraining competition in the world for retired racehorses and focuses on the bond formed between horse and rider.
Designed to showcase the versatility and athletic potential of Thoroughbreds beyond the racetrack, the
2019 event will be the biggest event to date, with 673 trainers accepted into the competition from
around the U. S. and Canada. These trainers will be working with retired racehorses that have less than 10 months of retraining for new careers.
Chloe Duffy will be competing her horse Crushin’ Hard in the Dressage and Free Style divisions.
Dressage is the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility and balance. The Free Style format allows trainers to present their horse in a manner that demonstrates the trainability and talent of the horse.
Crushin’ Hard is a ten-year-old Thoroughbred who successfully retired sound from his 52-race career
with earnings of $310,964. Crusher was adopted by Chloe Duffy from LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society located in Hillsburgh Ontario. Crusher comes from a long line of athletic breeding with Sire Philanthropist and Dam Uproar being full brother to the brilliant Pender Harbour, one of Canadians Champion’s ending his stellar career with winning over one million dollars! Chloe absolutely loves her new addition to the barn; his athletic ability is evident as they train six days a week either on the ground or in the saddle. There is no doubt that this pair will capture the hearts of their community as they prepare for this fantastic experience.
This is not the first “America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred” for equestrian athlete Chloe Duffy. At just
fifteen years old in 2016 she, was the only junior rider accepted to compete in the discipline of eventing from Ontario Canada. Chloe and her horse Carless Cousin ended the three-day event on an incredibly strong finish. Chloe is an accomplished CCI1* rider who earned a seat on the Jr Canadian Eventing Team in 2017 and came home from International Championship with Team Bronze.
Chloe and her horse Oro Veradero were foot perfect and had a stellar performance with an added
individual fifth place in North America.
“The Retired Racehorse Project was created to increase the demand and value of Thoroughbreds after
racing. It’s signature event, the Thoroughbred Makeover, is unlike any other horse show or equestrian
competition in the world because each rider has, at most, ten months to retrain a racehorse into a new
sport. It is a true test of horsemanship and skill for a trainer,” said Jen Roytz, Executive Director of the Retired Racehorse Project.
“That timeline is the great equalizer – pitting amateurs, professionals and even experienced juveniles against one another on equal footing. While last year it was an internationally competitive professional rider who won with a horse she’d retrained as an eventer, the year before it was a 17 year-old who won with a horse he retrained to play polo.”
The Retired Racehorse Project exists to facilitate placement of retired Thoroughbred racehorses in
second careers by increasing demand for them in equestrian sports. The creation of the Thoroughbred
Makeover, which offers more than $100,000 in prize money, is designed to showcase their equine
athletes in second careers.