Kentucky Oaks: Famous Fillies' Foot Fashions at Louisville's Churchill Downs

 For old times' sake: The Louisville Courier-Journal asked horseshoer Steve Norman 

what he thought about toe grabs a few years ago. This is what they heard.

It's Derby Week!  But before Churchill Downs rolls out the red-rose carpet for the Kentucky Derby, the track hosts the very special Oaks Day, an impressive card of stakes races topped by the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

The country's top three-year-old fillies lined up for yesterday's race but first they had to be shod. Luckily, Dan Burke of Farrier Product Distribution (FPD) in nearby Shelbyville, Kentucky took some photos of some of the filles having their hooves done.

Horseshoer Todd Boston is right at home at Churchill Downs. Here he is shoeing Believe You Can, the winner of the Grade One Kentucky Oaks. Small world: The filly was ridden by Rosie Napravnik, daughter of the New Jersey horseshoer. It was Rosie's first Grade One victory. She finished a fast-closing second in the race last year.

Todd Boston worked on a hind foot of Summer Applause, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Oaks. Todd is nailing on Kerckhaert raceplates, which are distributed to US sales outlets by FPD.

Say hello to Sacristy, trained by Wayne Catalano;  she was a late entry and finished seventh in the Oaks. This is what her feet looked like before she was re-shod for the race on Thursday by Pat Broadus.

The Hoof Blog sends a big thank you to Dan Burke, who just might have some more photos of the colts later today. In the meantime, visit Dan's blog on the FPD web site to see a video of Todd Boston shoeing a hind foot on Summer Applause.

Visit Dan Burke's blog for Farrier Product Distribution

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.