Hard Knocks Racing Partners

Established April 2025
1. Do what's right by the 🐎
2. Win 💰

[Mindset Machine  @mindsetmachine]

You can’t score if you don’t shoot.

[Matthew Sims @Sims_Racing_]

Copper Missile enjoying a nice Keeneland morning!

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

Check this out! @morninglineio is a big deal and is going to be an even bigger deal soon. It's a way to buy racehorses now, but it will evolve and they need your feedback.

[MorningLine.IO @morninglineio]

We're conducting a short research survey on horse racing, and we'd love your input.

The survey only takes 10 minutes. A select group of respondents will also be invited to join a paid 90-minute research session and receive a $100 gift card.

Take the survey → https://t.co/jU9JUVxk6Q

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

@drshillito Wow

[MorningLine.IO @morninglineio]

A message from @morninglinejoel to start your week. 💡

Start feeling like an owner → https://t.co/sDwO6aKxLU

[Mindset Machine  @mindsetmachine]

Write this down:

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

⭐🚨 RACE DAY 🚨⭐
TAKE CHARGE OMAHA
G2 Shawnee Stakes @ChurchillDowns
Trained by @Sims_Racing_
Ridden by @_MGutierrez_
Distance ✔️
Surface✔️
It's a great day to go racing in Kentucky!

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

👀👀👀

[MorningLine.IO @morninglineio]

G2 Shawnee Stakes incoming for Take Charge Omaha! @sims_racing_ @hardknocks6369

🗓️ Saturday, 5/30
🏇 Race 6
📍 @ChurchillDowns

[Carrie Brogden @MachmerHall]

Well since you asked I am on the USHJA tb task force. We have formally proposed a Hunter derby series that has been submitted for review hopefully starting with the 2027 series. It was a vision that came to me last March 2025… I was explaining to Roderick Watchman why my daughter’s equitation horse was not worth near what her Hunter Derby horse was and it hit me like a ton of bricks. We needed a TB Hunter derby series w obscene prize money (which compared to purses is not close of obscene) I am part of the organization of the $25,000 Upperville hunter derby for Tbs. This is the first of its kind and the response was literally Gobemacking. 67 entries with a waiting list!!!! Then we turned our attention to the Warrenton hunter derby. Gainesway where Brian Graves was kind enough to answer my call sponsor and take the call for the inaugural Bill Grave memorial Tb Hunter derby. I then got a call from Mike Levy of Murifield, who also wanted to be a part of the excitement of providing second career opportunities. So we came up with a $7500 bill Graves challenge cup that rewards the Highpoint Tb from the Upperville and Warrenton shows. On top of that we supersized the TAKE2 classes held at the Kentucky horse park all this summer. Sergio of Hidden Brook, Dr. Scott Morrison of Rood and riddle I found generous sponsors of those classes. The first weekend entries were up 200%. We have started monthly brainstorming /collaborative sessions with the Who’s Who of the second career world inc the leadership of TAA, new vocations, Amplify, ABR, TCA, TIP, RRP, etc. I met with Dan Metzger, thinking about launching monthly brainstorming sessions to see what solvable issues other than aftercare we might be able to tackle. Communication is my specialty and I am lucky that I bridge Both the sport horse and the racehorse world. There are many incredible people that I’m lucky to deal with on a daily basis, and I have realized that a lot of our issues have come because there are not people that straddle both worlds. I believe we have been handling the problem of second careers from upside down model. Instead of trying to support the bottom, we need to create demand at the top of our second career horses. Instead of the Thoroughbred being the pariah of the sport horse world which they have become since their heyday when they were king in the 80s, when I was riding as a child…. we can reverse this trend by having substantial or I should say obscene prize money provided for those people that choose to add a Tb sport horse into their barn. What has happened already just with the launch of two major derbies at two major shows has been candidly overwhelming. If you follow me on Facebook, I post all of the updates and all of the stuff that is going on currently. More ideas: Working with Erin and Mike with the TCA and Kristen with TIP and Stacie w TAA we have been discussing coming up with a digital calendar all things Thoroughbred. Also: And it’s infant stages right now. The Thoroughbred transition network is what was proposed and a brilliant name created from many smart people that want to ensure our horses have second career demand the same that they do first. I’m happy to talk to you and tell you all of the amazing things that are going on. Honestly, I spent a lot of my time giddy about the potential. Many many of us will be at the June 2 Upperville Va Hunter derby. There will be the majority of the Task Force there if not all of them… Along with some incredible TCA Board members and fellow Racing enthusiasts. I know this is a very long-winded reply, but there is a lot going on and being transparent, communicative, collaborative are the keys to us working together to create a sustainable second career life for athletes. If there’s high demand for the able-bodied ones, then there will be way more money to support the pasture pets. My energy is endless supplied by those amazing men and women I am lucky enough to work daily with making these changes and differences. I hope after the June 8 board meeting I have more fantastic news to share with you. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and the big pie in the sky idea is to one day have just like we do the Breeders cup Thoroughbred Racing championships… Why can we not have the Thoroughbred equestrian championships? At even 10% of the current purses of the Breeders cup it would be game changing. It would be an entire day celebrating the Thoroughbred in whatever discipline we could support. Hunter, jumper, Eventer, barrel, racing, polo, etc. Considering we have 65 entries in the TAKE2 class at the Upperville horse show and a waiting list for the 25k Derby., this is just the first show. This is just the beginning of the Thoroughbred Sport horse renaissance and I am beyond honored to be a part of it. 🐎💥🙌

[Craig Brogden @craigbrogden]

For those who want their votes to matter just vote for the 6-8 candidates you want. If you vote for all 20 positions on the board your vote is essentially a ZERO vote.

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

@MachmerHall Saying nothing and just making everyone deal with it suggests "we can't handle the truth" or makes us think we are being manipulated. Humans are empathetic, mostly. Sharing facts of the situation allows us to make decisions based on facts. That's empowering! That's leadership!

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

@AnnouncerPete Beyer should be adjusted +4 just because you own an 8 loaf pan!

[Bill Dance @Bill_Dance1]

What A Whopper...! The new Tennessee state record largemouth was caught on Nickajack Lake...!

Darren Nunley of Whitwell, landed a massive largemouth bass from Nickajack on Feb. 28, weighing 15 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and measuring 27 7/8 inches long.
The fish tops the previous record largemouth caught in 2015 and marks another incredible chapter in Tennessee fishing history.
The bass was weighed on a certified scale in Whitwell, and the TWRA later confirmed the record following genetic testing finalized on May 9.

There's no doubt in my mind there are more out there somewhere across this great state...! Way to go Darren...!

#TNSoundsPerfect
#twra
#billdancesignaturelakes
#fishing
#billdance

[Declaration of Memes @LibertyCappy]

For real

[Hard Knocks Racing Partners @hardknocks6369]

@theTDN @randy_moss_TV @BillFinley3 @zoecadman Leave it the way it is and start promoting a new series. The true superstars will try for the triple crown if they want that on their resume. There is no $ incentive to run in the current series. Lots of other stakes available with good purses. Triple crown winners are bad asses!

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

In practice:
-most players work hard.
-most players communicate.
-most players bring energy and enthusiasm.
-most players compete.
Doing all of this just makes you like most players.
What are you doing outside of practice to separate yourself from most players?

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

“Compete. Compete on the mound. Compete at the plate. Compete on the field. Just don’t look at the scoreboard. Just keep competing. Play hard, play to win. You’ve got to do it together. You’ve got to have a team behind that mission,” Patty Gasso