Sneaky Kitten has a history of living up to his name. After contacting his previous connections, Sneaky Kitten’s owner, Crystal Rutten, learned the gelding has been a memorable horse for many of those who have worked with him.

“Sneaky came to me from a trainer down at Gulfstream [Park] whom I have connections with,” she said. “I’ve gotten many horses from him in the past that I have restarted. I’ve also been in contact with a few other trainers and grooms who knew of or worked with Sneaky. Apparently, he’s a pretty memorable guy.”

When The Jockey Club launched the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P) and committed $100,000 to its development in 2012, it’s unlikely anyone expected it to become as popular as it has.

Seven years on, the program has seen major growth in its numbers both in what it offers to riders and in terms of how many people are taking part. The program had 150 shows give out TIP awards in 2012 and over 1,300 are scheduled to give out the awards this year, with the number of Thoroughbreds joining T.I.P jumping from 2,140 that first year to over 8,300 in 2017.