Nathan, a professional show jumper and stuntman from Long Beach, is currently training in Temecula with a very special partner: CARMA Grad Big Rainbow, a stunning bay OTTB filly (Mr. Big – Twin Spirit, by Yankee Gentleman).
By Jay Privman
The female ex-racehorses Big Rainbow and La Peer had relatively undistinguished careers on the track, but both are finding their way in successful second acts as event horses, with the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover this fall squarely in their sights.
Both are set to compete against one another in show jumping at the Thoroughbred Makeover, which is held every year in Lexington, Ky., this year from Oct. 8-11. And depending on how they progress over the next two months, additional disciplines could be added.
Big Rainbow “definitely will compete in show jumping, with the potential for hunters too,” said Nathan Williams-Bonner, who rides Big Rainbow and is based in Temecula, Calif.
“She’s been awesome,” he said. “Very brave at everything since I received her. No issues with obstacles or anything that comes up. Even though she had come off the racetrack, she went right into show mode. She has definitely exceeded expectations.”
La Peer “is coming along great,” said Chanel Minnifield, who rides La Peer and is the co-founder of ZenHeart, which is based in the Sunland area at the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley. “She’s really chill. She has a really good mind, very well balanced, very rhythmic, doesn’t get out of her skin.”
Minnifield said La Peer could compete in both show jumping and hunters at Thoroughbred Makeover.
Both horses were adopted this spring out of CARMA programs by ZenHeart, which provides opportunities to an underserved area of the equine world, riders from BIPOC – Black, indigenous, and people of color – communities.
“We have an all Black show-jumping team,” Minnifield said. “We’re pushing an agenda of increasing diversity.”
The agenda with Big Rainbow and La Peer, Minnifield said, was simple and direct.
“We went to pick out horses at Heart Bar Farms in Valley Center,” Minnifield said. “We were looking for horses we thought we could take to RRP, and win with.”
Other than being a year apart, both Big Rainbow, sired by Mr. Big, and La Peer, by Girvin, have eerily similar backgrounds. They both raced nine times, exclusively in Southern California, before being retired, and both earned exactly $56,480 during their racing careers. Big Rainbow, 4, won once, at Santa Anita. Le Peer, 5, retired winless. Both were acquired by ZenHeart earlier this year, with the Thoroughbred Makeover the main goal for 2025.
Donations to CARMA – the California Retirement Management Account — help move horses like Big Rainbow and La Peer to these rewarding second acts.
CARMA’s annual fund-raiser, CARMAthon, is coming up on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event is based out of Del Mar, and hosted by FanDuel TV, formerly TVG.
