When we record an episode of OTTB on Tap Evaluates, we rely on our experience, research, and a few key details—conformation photos, Jockey Club names, and pedigrees. But we never know the full story behind each horse. That’s where their owners come in!
After our latest episode, OTTB on Tap Evaluates Vol. 3, we reached out to the owners of Flowers Apriority, Cowboy Swagger, and Mr. Cellular to see how our assessments stacked up against their real-life experiences. Were we spot on, or did we miss some key details? Let’s find out!
Click here to submit your horse for a future OTTB on Tap Evaluates episode
Click here to listen to all of our OTTB on Tap Evaluates episodes
Flowers Apriority – How Did We Do?
🏇 Our Evaluation:
We noted Flowers Apriority’s pedigree featuring Grand Slam and Forty Niner, suggesting she might be a compact, sturdy type with strong sport horse potential. We also analyzed her race record and gaps between starts, pointing out possible explanations.
📢 Owner's Response:
"She definitely is lazy on her front end and that was our struggle.. not a cribber, definitely wants to brace and hold her head higher working. But you guys are pretty spot on! I do wish her neck came out little higher like you said! She’s a good girl and really athletic! This picture was taken probably 10 months post track and we were working about 6 days a week riding or long lining!"
Cowboy Swagger – Did We Call It?
🏇 Our Evaluation:
With Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone as his sire, we expected Cowboy Swagger to have a confident presence and a strong, athletic build. We also noted his relatively short racing career and wondered about his overall durability.
📢 Owner's Response:
"You were VERY spot on with your assessment of Cowboy Swagger, AKA Swaggs. In the inside picture he was coming in off a 3mo rest just turned out & the outside picture was the peak competition season. He’s 15.3h, Mr. Personality, and very sassy but in a kind, playful way. He is also a barrel horse and won the 2019 RRP TB Makeover in the barrel racing & also was crowned the Makeover Champion. He is very athletic and willing and would excel in any discipline I’m sure, but he is such a nice barrel horse and really loves to go #zoomzoomfast so we’ll stick to that. Thank you for your assessment!"
New conformation picture:
Mr. Cellular – A Future Star?
🏇 Our Evaluation:
Mr. Cellular’s pedigree, featuring Nyquist and Kitten’s Joy, led us to believe he’d be an athletic, well-balanced horse with potential for a second career. We speculated about his personality and training preferences based on his bloodlines.
📢 Owner's Response:
"Chiming in for Mr Cellular (aka Celery), that picture is about 45 days post track and his body has changed a ton since coming off home in Feb ‘24. I do see how the comment about roach back came into play from this picture but not a thing in real life. His hocks do sit a bit higher than the knees! As for personality, I wouldn’t necessarily call him cheeky, but he is a sensitive flower. He likes a certain kind of rider/handler and if you are not what he’s looking for, you gotta go
Super light cribber! Attached is a video from his first day of turnout- 100% justified my purchase after seeing that
Hoping to have a meter show jumper in the making
Super fun listening to these episodes!"
Final Thoughts: Did We Get It Right?
It’s always exciting to hear from owners and learn more about these OTTBs beyond what we can see on paper. Some of our assessments were spot on, while others had surprises we couldn’t predict from conformation photos alone. That’s the beauty of working with Thoroughbreds—each one has a unique story!
What do you think—were our evaluations accurate? Let us know in the comments or on social media!
Click here to submit your horse for a future OTTB on Tap Evaluates episode
Click here to listen to all of our OTTB on Tap Evaluates episodes
