Olympic level 3-day event rider Phillip Dutton has joined the West Point Thoroughbreds partnership group that owns grade one winner Ring Weekend. The 5-year-old Graham Motion trainee is entered in the $250,000 Longines Dixie Stakes (G2) on the Preakness undercard.

“Phillip and his wife Evie are close friends with Graham and Anita Motion,” said West Point Thoroughbreds President Terry Finley. “At the Thoroughbred Makeover this past fall, Graham mentioned to my daughter Erin that Phillip really likes racing and would love to be involved with a horse like Ring Weekend. We made it happen and are honored to have such a well-respected, successful rider as a part of the West Point family. He’s the Angel Cordero of the eventing world. Phillip has campaigned several Thoroughbreds at the highest levels of the sport and shares our commitment to providing retired racehorses with second careers.”

An Australian native, Dutton is based out of West Grove, Pennsylvania and is is a dual Olympic and Pan American gold medallist who has also won the most prestigious eventing competition in North America, the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event.

“I spend a lot of time traveling and competing, but like to spend time at Fair Hill with Graham whenever I can,” said Dutton. “It’s really neat to be involved with a horse of this caliber trained by Graham. I’ve worked with a number of Thoroughbreds over the year and this is a great opportunity to get to know more about racing.”

Ring Weekend was purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds and St. Elias Stable at the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has a record of 5-3-2 from 11 lifetime starts and earnings of $1,095,410. As a 3-year-old he captured the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), Saranac Stakes (G3), and Hill Prince Stakes (G3) before winning the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March of 2015.