(A moment worth capturing in time and bronze / All Photos by Holly M. Smith)

Editor’s Note:

A few weeks ago, I asked my great, dear friend and colleague, Holly M. Smith, if she could pick out some of her favorite photos of 2023 and put together a group that I could share with you all. Per usual, Holly agreed. After all, she is one of the nicest, kindest, most gentle and agreeable people you will ever meet or know in your life.

She is also one of the most talented. And, I just lover her photos of one of my most favorite past times and loves — Thoroughbreds.

Here is a sample of some of her work over 2023. And, here is a select group of photos that Holly, herself, picked out as some of her favorites over the past 12 months.

I’m getting ready to see these for the first time, too.

I’m sure I will love them. I hope you do, too.

Zeus…One of Holly’s Most Favorite Friends of All Time…

Rock Creek Steady as a, er, Rock…

Rock Creek, II: 

Prim…Proper…Performance…

Shelby County Fair…

Country Music Legend tonya Tucker at the Dogwood Horse Show in Shelby County…

A Chess Piece…

Trackside Training: Winter Style…

Churchill Downs’ Legends, Matt Winn and John Asher, Are Undoubtedly Talking About the Kentucky Derby — Still…

Dance Macabre “Dances” Home…

Disarm and Trainer Steve Asmussen…

Olivia Twist Is Doing Just That — Twisting…

The Goat is “The G.O.A.T.”…

Art Collector Talking to His Trainer Bill Mott, in the Barn…

The 2023 KY Derby Favorite Forte…Before KY Derby Day…

A Hall of Fame Photo of a Hall of Fame Trainer…

 

Caravel Gets An Early Morning Stroll at Churchill Downs…

More Than Looks Is a “Looker”…

Bingo, “Bango,” Bongo…

“Where’s My Horse?”…

Wish Upon a Star…

And, Here’s “The Star” — Cody’s Wish…

Trainer Todd Pletcher Congratulates Jockey Javier Castellano & KY Derby Winner Mage…

Nobals Definitely Showed Some on KY Derby Day…

A Pretty Darn Good Photo of Pretty Mischievous: 

Two Phils After Winning the Jeff Ruby Steaks…

Idiomatic Marching On at Turfway Park in March…