The reception, hosted by the United States Equestrian Federation, American Association of Equine Practitioners, National HBPA, Keeneland, Kentucky Horse Council, Kentucky HBPA, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, and The Jockey Club, is open to trainers, owners, breeders, riders, and anyone interested in helping to move Thoroughbreds from the racetrack into second careers as sport horses.

“The purpose of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program is to encourage the retraining of Thoroughbreds in other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding,” said Kristin Hix, legal associate for The Jockey Club. “We believe this reception will bring together people, including those in the area for the races at Keeneland and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, who can reinforce our efforts.”

The networking reception will be held at the Limestone Café inside the Keeneland sales pavilion at 6 p.m. following the races. The first 100 participants will receive a ticket to the “Concert on the Lawn,” which benefits the Markey Cancer Foundation and features the band OFF THE HOOK, following the reception at 7:30 p.m.

Thoroughbreds that have successfully made the transition from racetrack to second career will be showcased throughout the evening through various forms of media.

In addition to the reception, T.I.P is sponsoring an award for the highest placed Thoroughbred at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The winning entry will receive $1,000 and a horse cooler. For purposes of eligibility for all T.I.P. classes and awards, a “Thoroughbred” is defined as any horse that has been registered with The Jockey Club. Foreign-bred horses are eligible if they were imported through The Jockey Club. There were19 T.I.P.-eligible Thoroughbreds entered at this year’s Rolex.

Created and announced in October 2011, T.I.P. recognizes and rewards the versatility of the Thoroughbred through sponsorship of Thoroughbred classes and high point awards at sanctioned horse shows. The Jockey Club committed $100,000 to T.I.P for the pilot program in 2012, for which 167 horse shows from 26 states and two Canadian provinces were approved.

The complete schedule of T.I.P.-sponsored shows and other information about the program is available at tjctip.com. Those interested in T.I.P. can follow the program at facebook.com/tjctip.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms, among others. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.