Stakes winner Sweet Ambition Thrives at Our Mims Retirement Haven
- Kaeli Bartholomew
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Sweet Ambition found some success on the racetrack, but it’s been in retirement that she has truly shone. “Sweets” is one of the most recognizable residents of Our Mims Retirement Haven, where her love of attention and playful, mischievous personality have made her a favorite among visitors and followers.
Pedigree:
Born in Kentucky on April 30, 2002, for breeders American Equistock and Scott Trader, Sweet Ambition is sired by two-time Grade 1 winner Menifee out of Fancy’s Finale. Fancy’s Finale’s sire, Somethingfabulous, is a son of Somethingroyal, making him a half-brother to 1973 Triple Crown winner and racing immortal Secretariat.
Racing Career (2005–2008):
Sweet Ambition was a fairly good racehorse. She broke her maiden in her fifth career start as a three-year-old in 2005, and by January 2006, had two more wins and a stakes placing on her resume.
She won the Cactus Flower Handicap at Turf Paradise by three lengths in 2007 while racing with trainer Peter Miller. This would ultimately be her premier victory, but she continued to race well through 2008, picking up one more win and two more stakes placings along the way.
At the time of her retirement, Sweet Ambition had a record of 39:5-8-8 and was just $4 shy of reaching $251,000 in earnings.
Broodmare Career:
Upon her retirement from racing, Sweet Ambition joined the broodmare band at Millennium Farms, who had claimed her at Del Mar in July 2007 and raced her for the remainder of her time on the track.
Two years later, while in foal to Student Council, the mare was sold at the Keeneland January Sale to Georgia Farms for $15,000.
Though bred a handful of times, she did not produce any offspring with her level of talent.
Sweet Ambition at Our Mims Retirement Haven (2018 - Present):
Eventually, Millennium Farms was made aware that Sweet Ambition had been found at an auction in Louisiana, one that was unlikely to place the mare in a good home. As one of her former owners, they took responsibility and pulled her from the auction.
However, Millennium Farms was transitioning out of the breeding business and did not have the ability to provide a permanent home for Sweet Ambition. They nursed her back to health and contacted the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, who then reached out to Our Mims Retirement Haven in Paris, Kentucky, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing forever homes to aged Thoroughbred mares.
Our Mims Retirement Haven typically focuses on mares twenty and older, who are among the most vulnerable. Sweet Ambition, being just sixteen at the time, was a bit young for their program, but because they had an open space and she was an emergency case, they agreed to take her in.
Sweet Ambition officially arrived at “The Haven” on May 8, 2018.
“Sweets,” as she’s come to be known, quickly found her place in the herd. “When Kidnap Katie was here, she [Sweets] was the enforcer,” Ann Cheek, vice president at Our Mims Retirement Haven, explained. “Katie would send her out to tell everybody what the rules are and how to follow them.”
After the passing of Katie and the arrival of Rhapsody Queen, who took over as “herd boss,” Sweet Ambition relinquished her “enforcer” role and now focuses on the job she’s best known for: being The Haven’s unofficial tour guide.
She’s always the first to greet visitors, seeking out her two favorite things: scratches and treats. That loving personality, combined with her mischievous streak, has made her a favorite among The Haven’s guests and social media followers alike.
“She’s completely and utterly rotten,” Cheek described. “She will pick-pocket you. She will take your phone out of your pocket if it’s in there. She will go through your purse. If you leave something around... she likes to drink my coffee in the morning, or take off with my water bottle.”
Sweets is now twenty-four years old and still looks incredible. She is a shining example of a Thoroughbred and of how the lifestyle and care at The Haven allows mares to thrive.
“She is, as far as I’m concerned, what a Thoroughbred should look like. She is a magnificent animal.”
Eight years after Sweet Ambition's arrival at Our Mims Retirement Haven, it’s hard to imagine the place without her.
“She’s the sweetest thing on earth. She just wants to be with us, and we just want her to be with us too.”
Our Mims Retirement Haven: A nonprofit dedicated to the health and well-being of a herd of retired Thoroughbred broodmares.
About: Championing horse racing through the stories of its horses, people, and places. Our focus is on education and celebration that honors every part of the racing world.
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