Southern California racehorse owner Nancy Messineo’s legacy helps all seven SCRAF horses make the journey from California to Kentucky
“When Village and Valley News recently introduced the community to Sandia Creek Ranch Auxiliary Foundation’s ‘Magnificent 7,’ we shared the story of seven retired racehorses preparing for an incredible adventure, traveling from Southern California to Lexington, Kentucky, to compete in the 2026 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park,” Kiersti Wylie and Tauni Beckmann said.
“Today, the SCRAF team has a very special thank-you to share.
“All seven retired racehorses from Sandia Creek Ranch Auxiliary Foundation have received transportation assistance through the California Retirement Management Account’s 2026 Messineo Makeover Scholarship, helping the horses make the more than 2,000-mile journey from Southern California to Kentucky this fall.”
Savel, Classical Cat, Beach Hero, Sasafran, Prince Abama, Cali Bay and Anisette — collectively known as SCRAF’s “Magnificent 7” — are preparing to compete in the 2026 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover, Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
All seven horses are graduates of CARMA’s Placement Program. The Messineo Makeover Scholarship was established to help overcome one of the biggest obstacles facing West Coast participants in the Thoroughbred Makeover: the considerable expense of transporting horses across the country.
“For a team taking seven horses more than 2,000 miles from home, it is difficult to put into words just how much this means to us,” the SCRAF team said. “We are incredibly grateful to CARMA for believing in these horses, supporting their lives after racing, and giving all seven this opportunity.”
Behind the scholarship is the legacy of Nancy Messineo, a Southern California native and longtime resident whose involvement with Thoroughbreds extended beyond the racetrack.
Messineo worked as a real estate agent before becoming involved in Thoroughbred ownership. She and racing partner Bruce Sands campaigned horses primarily in California and made an effort to ensure their horses had homes and opportunities after their racing careers ended.
Messineo died June 8, 2023, at age 74 after a long battle with cancer. Before her death, she established a trust that ultimately provided gifts to several horse and animal welfare organizations, including CARMA.
Her gift to CARMA was designated to support its Placement Program, which helps Thoroughbreds transition from racing into new homes and careers. The Messineo Makeover Scholarship grew from that legacy.
“We never had the opportunity to know Nancy, but we certainly wish we could thank her,” the SCRAF team said. “There is something very special about knowing that a woman who loved racehorses enough to plan for their futures is now helping seven horses she never met travel across the country to show everyone what retired racehorses can do.
“We think she would be proud of them.”
Messineo’s commitment to racehorses after they left the track was evident during her lifetime as well. She and Sands worked to find homes and second careers for retired horses and, in at least one instance, reclaimed a former horse to help ensure it received a suitable home after racing.
Now her legacy is helping seven more California Thoroughbreds begin another chapter.
CARMA’s transportation assistance represents a significant portion of the undertaking, but getting the Magnificent 7 to Kentucky is only one part of the seven-month project.
SCRAF riders and their families are continuing to raise money for training, board, veterinary and farrier care, schooling and competition expenses, equipment and supplies, and rider travel and lodging.
The team is encouraging supporters to choose a favorite horse and rider, follow their progress and help support their journey to Kentucky.
“Of course, we’re a little biased,” the team said. “We’re betting on all seven.”
For the SCRAF team, the scholarship also creates a connection between a Southern California woman who spent much of her life caring about the futures of racehorses and seven former racehorses now preparing to represent Southern California on a national stage.
“To Nancy Messineo, whom we never had the privilege of meeting: Your love of horses is still traveling forward,” the team said. “Seven of them will be carrying a little piece of your legacy all the way from California to Kentucky this October.”
Sandia Creek Ranch Auxiliary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting horses and people through education, rehabilitation, retraining and community programs. Through its work at Sandia Creek Ranch, the organization provides opportunities for horses and people to learn and grow.
CARMA supports Thoroughbred aftercare in California through its Placement Program, grantmaking and other initiatives designed to help racehorses successfully transition to life after racing.
More information about CARMA’s Messineo Makeover Scholarship and its 2026 recipients is available through CARMA. Supporters can also contribute to the overall Magnificent 7 team or select an individual horse-and-rider team through SCRAF’s Thoroughbred Makeover fundraising campaign.
To support the overall Magnificent 7 team or select an individual Magnificent 7 horse and rider, visit SCRAF’s TB Makeover Team IS Kentucky Bound fundraising page.
About SCRAF: Sandia Creek Ranch Auxiliary Foundation is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting horses and people through education, rehabilitation and retraining. Through its work at Sandia Creek Ranch, SCRAF helps create a place where horses thrive, people learn and both grow.
