The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will honor national award winners at its awards dinner Sept. 7 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington. Five national winners have been announced ahead of time and BloodHorse Daily is offering profiles of these winners throughout the week.
Today we profile A Lil Evil, TOBA’s the Rood & Riddle Sport Horse of the Year.
In 2023, the Thoroughbred mare A Lil Evil showed that she’s more than a “lil” bit talented.
A non-winner from six starts on the track, A Lil Evil found her athletic calling off the track…and in the show ring. At the Sept. 24 Kentucky National Horse Show, the flashy but petite chestnut won the Jumper Division at the TAKE2 Finals. Last year’s edition of the contest was her fourth time competing; A Lil Evil finished second in the Jumper Division in 2020.
TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program is a nonprofit started in 2012—the year A Lil Evil was foaled. The organization celebrates the many ways Thoroughbreds can thrive in second careers after leaving the racetrack, including as show horses. TAKE2 teams up with horse shows rated by the United States Equestrian Federation to offer lucrative shows for members of the TAKE2 Thoroughbred League. These shows are highlighted by the annual $20,000 TAKE2 Hunter and Jumper Finals. The 2023 Hunter and Jumper divisions each had prizes of $10,000, so with her win, A Lil Evil and her connections are now more than a “lil” richer.
And who are those connections? Kathryn Currey trains and rides the now 12-year-old mare, owned by her husband, Christian. Kathryn purchased A Lil Evil a few years back, in 2016. At the time, she was headed to Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio, to pick up another horse. At her request, Currey, who has been deeply involved in rehoming horses, was shown other Thoroughbreds. She brought home A Lil Evil for just $400, and the rest is history.
During their years as a team, Currey and A Lil Evil have become familiar faces in high-stakes arenas. In addition to being runners-up in the 2020 Jumper Division at the TAKE2 Finals, they won the 1.10-meter amateur jumper competition at the 2019 Hampton Classic Horse Show in New York. Perhaps it’s not surprising that A Lil Evil is building on a deep-rooted class. After all, she’s by hard-knocking Florida-bred Hear No Evil , a son of Carson City who won six of 37 starts and earned $599,415.
One reason A Lil Evil stood out to Currey is because her dam, Lil McTee, is a daughter of 1992 Kentucky Derby (G1) victor Lil E. Tee. She previously rode a son of that classic winner. Lil McTee’s fifth dam, Real Delight, garnered championship honors as both top 3-year-old filly and older mare in 1952.
In her day job, Tennessee-based Currey is involved in equine-related activities. On social media, Etalon Equine Genetics, which offers DNA tests for horses to reveal your equine’s genetic heritage, praised team member Currey. The company congratulated Currey and A Lil Evil—nicknamed “Evie”—praising “their unstoppable bond.”
