Press
Release - November 17, 2004
Our Mims Retirement Haven proudly announces the acquisition of five
house ladies. The new residents of OMRH are Exactly So, Jamra, Iza
Valentine, Taba, and My Turbulent Miss. These retired broodmares have
moved into the barn and fields of Ahwenasa farm near Paris, Kentucky.
Ahwenasa is owned and operated by Jeanne and Pete Mirabito.
OMRH is named after the 1977 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Our Mims, who resided on the farm from February 9, 2000 until the time of her death on December 9, 2003. Jeanne Mirabito adopted the great mare through ReRun, a Kentucky-based Thoroughbred adoption group. Our Mims was 26 at the time of her adoption. Our Mims was Calumet Farm's first Eclipse winner and a half-sister to Alydar out of Sweet Tooth. The great mare was treasured at Ahwenasa and had fans visit from all over the world.
Exactly So is an Irish-born daughter of Caro. Jamra is the full sister to Clever Trick and currently has two foals racing: Caddo and Jammin Corwyn. Iza Valentine's daughter, Fran's Valentine, is the dam of recently retired With Anticipation. Turkoman, winner of the Affirmed Handicap and the Marlboro Cup, is probably Taba's most famous offspring, and she was a 2 Year Old Filly Champion in Argentina. My Turbulent Miss counts stallions Exploit and Prized among her offspring.
Jamra and Iza Valentine came from George Waggoner. Exactly So, Taba, and My Turbulent Miss were donated by Olin Gentry, as was OMRH's first official resident, Sugar and Spice.
Mirabito remarked, "These ladies have filled my barn and my heart with overwhelming feelings. I am still pretty much in awe that they are with us. Each mare has her own distinct personality so as individuals they are bringing their own special light to OMRH. Could there be a better way to enjoy a thoroughbred? I don't think so."
With the arrival of the new ladies, OMRH also announces the beginning of their "Hats Off For The Ladies" auctions. Cheryl Bellucci, OMRH Director of Fund Raising and Promotion, explains, "We had a gracious volunteer take our hats to Belmont for the signatures of some very notable jockeys and trainers." The hats will be auctioned through eBay, about four hats a week. The first auctions started November 14th with hats signed by jockeys Robby Albarado, Pat Day, Jose Santos and trainer Allen Jerkens. Auctions are scheduled to run through the end of December and include autographs from Gary Stevens, Jerry Bailey, John Velasquez, Barclay Tagg, Todd Pletcher, Nick Zito, and more.
Additional hats are currently at Santa Anita where a second volunteer is working on getting them signed. "We were most pleased to get Jorge Velasquez's signature on some of the hats," Bellucci added. Velasquez was Mims' regular jockey through most of her three-year-old campaign. OMRH's eBay ID is ourmims-org.
"Hats Off" auctions will take care of some of the more immediate needs for the new ladies. The ultimate goal for OMRH is to create a tourist attraction modeled after the idea of the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park. Through admission charges and various other fundraising methods the mares can support themselves while promoting the horse industry and tourism. The result will be more room at breeding farms, owners who are content knowing their mares are being pampered and a place for fans to reunite with their old heroes. Most importantly, the mares will be returned to the limelight. They will spend their last years being adored by racing enthusiasts. "Our Mims loved visitors. She seemed to know they wanted to see her and pranced around with the pride of a champion," remarked Mirabito.
For more information about OMRH check out www.OurMims.org or Our Mims tribute website at www.OurMims.com.
Press
Release - October 13, 2004
Hope Of Glory, a 1972 filly by Mr. Leader out of Daizel/Manteau, was euthanized
at the Our Mims Retirement Haven on October 13, at 5:15 p.m. after suffering a
stroke.
Hope of Glory won the 1974 Alcibiades, the Falls City handicap
and the Kentucky Cardinal. She was bred in Kentucky and raced for Don McKellar.
Of her ten foals, nine raced, and all were winners. Among her offspring are
Another Notch, Extra Grouse, Good Sort, Grab the Glory, Pocketfull of Hope, Race
into History and Rinaldi.
After McKellar's death, Hope of Glory was
under the care of Wendy DeVere for a number of years. Ms. DeVere contacted
ReRun, a Kentucky based Thoroughbred adoption charity. Hope of Glory entered the
ReRun program on September 23, 2002 and was immediately adopted by Jeanne
Mirabito. ReRun continued to sponsor Hope of Glory at the Our Mims Retirement
Haven owned by Mirabito.
Hope of Glory was laid to rest at OMRH. She
will be deeply missed.
Press Release - September 14, 2004
Sugar and Spice (1977 Key to the Mint/Sweet Tooth by On and On) died at
the Our Mims Retirement Haven (OMRH) at 4 pm on September 13, due to the
infirmities of old age. OMRH is located at Ahwenasa Farm near Paris, Kentucky.
Sugar and Spice was a half-sister of both Our Mims and Alydar through the dam, Sweet Tooth. Sugar and Spice proudly carried on the family fame with several prestigious wins including the Mother Goose-G1 and Ashland Stakes-G2, and ended her racing career with 18 starts, 5 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds. Sugar then produced several winning foals.
OMRH purchased Sugar and Spice on May 7, 2004. Sugar and Spice moved into Our Mims' vacated stall and was pampered like royalty. "Imagine how lucky I feel," said Mirabito, "I have had the privilege of caring for two great Calumet mares, both out of the incredible Sweet Tooth."
In keeping with its reverence for tradition and history, Calumet Farm welcomes the return of one of its own. Sugar and Spice will be laid to rest in the famed Calumet equine cemetery near her siblings, her dam, her second, third and fourth dams and generations of champions.
"Calumet was her home at birth, through her racing days and much of her career as a broodmare," said Mirabito. "Calumet is where she belongs."
OMRH is named after the 1977 champion three-year-old filly, Our Mims, who resided on
the farm from February 9, 2000 until the time of her death on December 9, 2003.
Jeanne Mirabito adopted Our Mims through ReRun, a Kentucky-based
Thoroughbred adoption group. Our Mims was Calumet Farm's first Eclipse winner.
Press
Release - June 6, 2004
On Saturday, June 26 at 10 am, Our
Mims, 1977 Three-Year-Old Filly Champion, will be remembered
with a memorial dedication at Calumet
Farm's Equine cemetery.
Our Mims (Herbergar out of Sweet Tooth) was foaled at Calumet on March 8, 1974 and earned Calumet Farm their first Eclipse award after her stunning 3 year old season. Our Mims won the Oaklawn Fantasy Stakes, the Coaching Club American Oaks, Alabama Stakes, and the Delaware Handicap. Our Mims finished second in the 1977 Kentucky Oaks.
Our Mims produced several foals for Calumet, including Mimbet and Slewvescent, before being sold in Calumet's dispersal sale in 1991.
During the fall of 1999, this great mare made her way to the ReRun program, a Kentucky-based Thoroughbred adoption group. Our Mims was adopted by Jeanne Mirabito of Paris, Kentucky, in February of 2000. "Never was a horse more loved than Our Mims. She stole my heart," said Mirabito. "Our Mims was QUEEN here. She knew it and as long as the rest of us didn't forget who was in charge, all was well."
Our Mims settled into a life of leisure at the Mirabito's farm, Ahwenasa. She enjoyed routine, peppermints, carrots and visits from fans. During the last year of her life, Our Mims had over 70 visitors. "She loved being adored by her fans, " said Mirabito.
Our Mims remained at Ahwenasa until she passed away on December 9, 2003. Cheryl Bellucci of Xenia, Ohio, organized a fund raising campaign to purchase a proper stone marker to honor Our Mims. Photographers Barbara Livingston, Sue Rosenbach and John Bellucci donated prints and fans from all over the United States contributed to purchasing the grave marker for Our Mims. As many letters and donations poured in during the campaign, Cheryl Bellucci commented, "It's like magic. Just like Our Mims was."
Prior to his death, the late Count deKwiatkowski, owner of Calumet, had given permission for Our Mims to be buried at Calumet near her dam, Sweet Tooth, her second and third dams, Blue Delight and Real Delight. The Count's family graciously honored the promise, and Our Mims was laid to rest within sight of her half brother Alydar.
Mirabito praises Calumet Farm for all they have done. Our Mims was the first horse in the history of the farm who did not reside at Calumet to be buried in Calumet cemetery. "The deKwiatkowskis did not know Our Mims. They did not benefit from her earnings. They may never have even heard her 'royal' nicker, and yet, they allowed her to 'come home,'" explained Mirabito, "What a wonderful gesture. All this proves to me that the great Calumet Farm is clearly in the right hands. The level of class at Calumet doesn't stop with the owners. It is apparent in the employees as well." Mirabito can't say enough about Calumet's grounds crew for the incredible concern and loving way they took care of Our Mims remains.
The dedication ceremony is expected to be over by 12 noon.
Press Release - May 26, 2004
The Our Mims Retirement Haven (OMRH) proudly announces its existence with special news.
Sugar and Spice (1977 Key to the Mint out of Sweet Tooth by On and On) has moved into the barn at Ahwenasa Farm
near Paris, Kentucky. Ahwenasa is owned and operated by Jeanne and Pete Mirabito.
OMRH is named after the 1977 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Our Mims, who resided on the farm from February 9, 2000 until the time of her death on December 9, 2003. Jeanne Mirabito adopted the great mare through ReRun, a Kentucky-based Thoroughbred adoption group. Our Mims was 26 at the time of her adoption. Our Mims was Calumet Farm's first Eclipse winner and a half-sister to Alydar out of Sweet Tooth. The great mare was treasured at Ahwenasa and had fans visit from all over the world.
Sugar and Spice is a half-sister of Our Mims through the dam, Sweet Tooth. Sugar and Spice proudly carried on the family fame with several prestigious wins including the Mother Goose-G1 and Ashland Stakes-G2 and ended her racing career with 18 starts, 5 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds. Sugar then produced several winning foals. "How appropriate, " said Jeanne Mirabito, "that the first horse to move into Our Mims' empty stall is her half-sister."
The Mirabitos purchased the 42-acre tobacco farm with one goal in mind: to create a facility for pensioned broodmares at which they would be pampered through their final years.
In addition to Our Mims and Sugar and Spice, another noteworthy elder equine has found her way to Ahwenasa: Hope of Glory (by Mr. Leader out of Daizel by Manteau). She won the Alcibiades, Falls City Handicap, Kentucky Cardinal and placed third in Matron Stakes and Santa Marguerita Handicap. Hope of Glory earned $168,421 with 35 starts, 9 wins, three places and 5 shows. Hope of Glory is the dam of ten foals. Nine of them raced and all were winners. ReRun sponsors this lovely old mare at OMRH.
The couple considers the retirement facility idea to be a natural progression in the already well-established routine of the Kentucky horse industry. "When a filly leaves the racetrack she moves from her trainer's barn to a breeding farm because the breeding facilities specialize in breeding," explained Jeanne Mirabito. "When a mare is no longer producing foals it only makes sense that she move to a different facility where the specialty revolves around aging mares."
Mirabito has had great success at restoring the health of aged pensioners and/or keeping an already healthy elder equine healthy. It's a matter of routine and observation. "The trick is noticing a potential health problem before it becomes a threat," said Mirabito. Older horses tend to deteriorate quickly, and small problems can become big overnight. Once things get out of hand, treatment is expensive and doesn't always help. But if a health issue is caught early it is often treated easily and without much expense.
The ultimate goal for OMRH is to create a tourist attraction modeled after the idea of the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park. Through admission charges and various other fundraising methods the mares can support themselves while promoting the horse industry and tourism. The result will be more room at breeding farms, owners who are content knowing their mares are being pampered and a place for fans to reunite with their old heroes. Most importantly, the mares will be returned to the limelight. They will spend their last years being adored by racing enthusiasts. "Our Mims loved visitors. She seemed to know they wanted to see her and pranced around with the pride of a champion," remarked Mirabito.
For more information about OMRH check out www.OurMims.org or Our Mims tribute
website at www.OurMims.com.
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