Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

10/22/2026

💚 Thankful Thursday: Celebrating Vet Tech Week!

This week, we're recognizing the incredible veterinary technicians whose skill, compassion, and dedication help keep our horses healthy and safe.

From caring for critically ill foals to assisting with lifesaving treatments, these professionals make a difference every day.

At Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, we're proud to support the research that advances the tools and treatments veterinary teams rely on.

Research advances care. Vet techs help bring it to life.

To all veterinary technicians, THANK YOU! 💚

10/20/2026

- One day, a healthy, thriving foal. The next, fighting for every breath.

Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) pneumonia can develop silently, turning a promising young foal's life upside down in a matter of hours.

Thanks to research supported by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, scientists are working to better understand how horses fight this devastating disease, paving the way for improved vaccines and treatments.

🩵 Because every foal deserves the chance to grow up.

Read more about this important research and one foal's remarkable fight for survival. ⬇️ https://www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/resources/r%20equi.pdf

10/19/2026

Join us on Tuesday, November 10, for our next EquineEd event featuring the incredible Cherie DeVaux, the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes with Golden Tempo!

Co-hosted by Kentucky Horse Park President Lee Carter and Dr. Piper Klemm of The Plaid Horse/The Plaidcast, and sponsored by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, this special evening will feature an in-depth live interview, a Q&A session, and an exclusive hat-signing opportunity with Cherie. Grab a Golden Tempo hat (limited availability) at the event to support Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation! 🧢💛

📍 Where: Kentucky Horse Park – Alltech Arena North Exhibit Hall
⏰ When: Tuesday, November 10 (Doors open at 5:30 PM | Conversation begins at 6:30 PM)
🎟️ Admission: FREE! (Advanced registration is required).

Reserve your free tickets and learn more here: https://kyhorsepark.com/cherie/

10/15/2026

💚🐎 Thankful Thursday!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino for their incredible support of equine health research through the 2026 Grayson Grass Challenge!

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation President Jamie Haydon was thrilled to accept a check for $8,723.05, raised in support of research that benefits horses of every breed and discipline.

We are grateful to the entire Horseshoe Indianapolis team and everyone who participated in making this year's challenge a success!

Together, we're making a difference for the horses who give us so much. 💚

10/13/2026

Dr. Johnny Mac Smith was so much more than his professional accomplishments. He was a kind and compassionate man who made everyone around him feel valued, supported, and cared for.

His impact on the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation was immeasurable. Through his expertise, leadership, and unwavering dedication to equine health, Johnny Mac helped advance research that will benefit horses for generations to come.

Beyond his contributions to veterinary medicine, he was a wonderful friend and mentor who gave so much of himself to others.

His legacy will live on through the research he helped champion, the lives he touched, and the horses he loved so dearly. We are forever grateful for his friendship and dedication. He will be deeply missed. ❤️

Dr. Johnny Mac Smith, a respected equine veterinarian and longtime fixture in the Ocala Thoroughbred community, has died.

10/09/2026

🎙️ What a stellar lineup at the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation hosted The Plaid Horse The Plaidcast Live last night at the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover!

It was a fantastic evening of conversation with the Racing Surface’s Testing Lab’s Andrew Jackson and Mackenzie Rockefeller discussing transitioning off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) from racetrack surfaces to the wide variety of footing they may encounter throughout their second careers. Such an important discussion as we work to support the soundness, health, and longevity of these incredible athletes beyond the racetrack. 🐎

We were also thrilled to have Jessica Paquette join the conversation, sharing stories about her very own OTTB and her experiences paving the way for women in the racing industry. Jessica continues to be an inspiring voice, advocating for greater opportunities for women and encouraging others to use their voices—not only for themselves, but for the horses we all love so dearly.

👏 Thank you to everyone who joined us for an evening of meaningful conversation, education, and a shared passion for the Thoroughbred!

10/08/2026

Today is the day! Join us at the Retired Racehorse Project this evening for the The Plaid Horse Plaidcast in Person at the Kentucky Horse Park!

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://www.theplaidhorse.com/the-plaidcast/

10/06/2026

🩺 Grayson is proud to be sponsoring the next generation of DVM students assisting with the Vet arrival exams at the Retired Racehorse Project! 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

10/05/2026

: Why support equine research?

🐴 Because our foals depend on it. ❤️

Research focused on the diseases and conditions that threaten foals during their most vulnerable moments helps provide veterinarians with the treatments, tools, and knowledge needed to give these young horses the best chance at a healthy future. By protecting foal health, we are also protecting the future of our farms, our industry, and the horses we cherish.

Every breakthrough starts with research. Every healthy foal is proof of its impact.

Grayson-funded research could help pave the way for better vaccines and treatments against R. equi, a serious infection that can threaten young foals.