Thoroughbred racehorses that go on to second careers are unique in that they have two retirements in their lifetimes: the first from the track and the second from the show ring. Thoroughbred Legends, a new EN series presented by Cosequin, seeks to honor off-track Thoroughbreds that went on to accomplish great things as upper-level eventers and now enjoy a second retirement in their golden years. If you know of a great Thoroughbred for this series, email [email protected].
A 28-year-old Kaesar and his best friend Brutis enjoy the good life.
Anita Nemtin-Gilmour first saw Kaesar at a Lucinda Greene clinic when he was a 4-year-old fresh off the racetrack. A lovely mover and jumper, Lucinda asked if he was for sale, and the horse’s owner politely declined. But a year later, the owner moved overseas, and Anita jumped at the chance to buy Kaesar as her next upper-level prospect. “I bought him without trying him at all, even though he actually failed the vetting because of navicular changes. But I bought him anyways because I really liked him.” She paid just $10,000 for the horse that would one day take her to the Olympic Games.
Born in Mexico in 1985, Kaesar (Captain General X Quiet Image, by Gun Flint) raced 34 times in Mexico and at Canadian tracks like Woodbine, Greenwood and Fort Erie. A natural at eventing, Kaesar began his second career practically straight off the track and quickly progressed through the levels with Anita in the irons. Kaesar ran his first one-star at Bromont in 1993, where Phillip Dutton liked what he saw and offered to buy the horse. But Anita knew she’d found the partner of a lifetime and decided not to sell. Kaesar went on to win his first two-star and then moved up to Advanced in 1995, finishing his season by qualifying for the Olympic Games with a strong finish in his first three-star at Fair Hill.
Kaesar and Anita at the 1996 Olympic Games. Photo courtesy of Anita.
The following spring, Anita and Kaesar finished second in their first Rolex, which landed them a spot on the Canadian team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. They finished 19th and jumped clear in the show jumping on the final day. “Two days later he popped an abscess out of his coronet band,” Anita said. “He was in pain the whole time, but he just never said no to anything I asked.” They were 15th at Rolex the following year and made the trip to Burghley, where they ultimately retired on cross country due to a hind suspensory injury.
In true fighting Thoroughbred form, Kaesar recovered to compete again at the Advanced level before retiring in 2003 at 18. Kaesar, now 28, spends his days enjoying the best paddock at Anita’s farm in Palgrave, Ontario, with Brutis, a dwarf Miniature Horse who has faithfully served as his best friend for 10 years. “Kaesar is definitely the king of the farm,” Anita said. “I’ve been married for 15 years, and I always joke that Kaesar is my longest relationship and so far my best. He’s meant everything to me. He’s the best horse I’ve ever sat on, and he had the biggest heart. I owe him everything.”
