CLAY — As with many events last year, the coronavirus pandemic closed the barn doors on Sunshine Horses’ annual Kentucky Derby gala. This year, the celebration is going virtual until it is safer to gather in person. The Clay-based racehorse rescue is holding a virtual viewing party, Hats and Horses, on May 1.
“I was looking for something to do that would be fun and still be able to enjoy the derby, but we knew that people still needed to stay home and stay in small groups,” said Dianne Sestak, fundraising chair for Sunshine Horses.
The nonprofit will hold its Red Rose Gala on June 26 at Bellevue Country Club, but the Sunshine Horses team wanted to be able to celebrate Derby Day on its official date.
Hats and Horses will allow Sunshine’s supporters to make and enjoy a hearty meal and a cocktail, if they wish — all from the comfort of their homes. Tickets include most of the ingredients for pasta Bolognese and the Sunshine Bourbon Splash cocktail.
“One of the volunteers [has] got a beautiful kitchen, so he’s doing the cooking,” Sestak said.
The virtual celebration wraps up just in time for the 6:50 p.m. start of the Kentucky Derby.
Sestak said Sunshine Horses is New York State’s largest Standardbred rescue and adoption organization, and like many nonprofits, it was hit hard by the pandemic.
“We have two barns and we ended up having to shut one of the barns down. We were struggling to make sure everyone got what they needed,” she said.
The proceeds of Hats and Horses will go toward the care and training of Sunshine’s current tenants: 20 horses, one miniature horse and one donkey. Sestak said four more animals will arrive in the coming weeks.
While Sunshine’s main goal is to save retired racehorses from slaughter, neglect or abuse, the organization’s volunteers benefit from the work as well.
“Part of our mission is helping horses helping people. We have found that horses are very healing, as most animals are,” Sestak said. “Folks come in and find and connect with a horse. It really can be a life-changing experience for them.”
Sunshine Horses is looking to add to its stable of volunteers to muck out stalls, mend fences, assist with events or put together gift baskets.
“We’re always looking for folks to help out in the pastures with the fencing and machinery,” Sestak said.
The community also can donate to Sunshine Horses directly via sunshinehorses.org, and online shoppers can donate a portion of their purchases through Amazon Smile. Sunshine also welcomes corporate sponsorships for its events.
When asked which horse she favors for winning the Kentucky Derby, Sestak said she’s rooting for a hometown hero.
“I think it’s going to be Boeheim’s horse,” she said of Hidden Stash, the horse co-owned by Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim and Upstate Shredding–Weitsman Recycling owner Adam Weitsman.
Hats and Horses takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1. Tickets are $50 for a meal (ingredients and instructions for pasta and Bolognese sauce; meat is not included, but feel free to add turkey, beef, pork, or keep it vegetarian) or $20 for the Sunshine Bourbon Splash cocktail (must be 21 or older to purchase). Your ticket purchase will put you in the drawing for two tickets to Sunshine’s Red Rose Gala on June 26 at Bellevue Country Club ($400 value). Visit sunshinehorses.org to purchase tickets.
