About the Haven

Our Mims was the 1977 Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Running in the Calumet colors of devil’s red and blue, the daughter of Sweet Tooth won 5 of 18 races, including the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks, the Alabama, and the Delaware Handicap.

In 1990, Our Mims was sold as part of Calumet’s dispersal sale. Then in 1997 Jeanne Mirabito found a pensioned Our Mims on a local farm. With the help of a local rescue, Mims came to live with Jeanne… and a lifelong friendship developed.

Our Mims died of colic complications at the age of 29 in December of 2003 and was buried in Calumet’s equine cemetery. Her marker stands as a tribute to the fans who would not let her be forgotten. After a visit to Our Mims’s grave at Calumet, Jeanne remarked:

I can still feel the warmth of her breath on my cheek, hear the sound of her hooves hitting the ground, feel the vibration of her heartbeat echo with my own and absorb her unique presence to my very soul. So few humans are lucky enough to know such love. I have been blessed. – Jeanne

In memory of the great mare and her dear friend, Jeanne Mirabito created Our Mims Retirement Haven so other mares will be cared for once their broodmare careers are over. The Haven became a 501(c)3 on March 8, 2007 (Our Mims’ birthday). Since then, a number of famous and not-so-famous mares have found their way to the Haven.

The Ladies, as they are called, are tended to with love and devotion… and respect. Given appropriate and timely veterinary, farrier, and dental care, the mares thrive under Jeanne’s touch. Fans are now able to see the ex-racers, the mothers, the grandmothers, and the great-grandmothers of their Thoroughbred favorites. Once a lady comes to the Haven, she is there for the rest of her life. When that is over, she is buried in the Haven’s cemetery (noted at the Bourbon County Historical Society).

Jeanne passed away August 5th, 2020 after an intense battle with cancer, but her legacy lives on.

“Specializing in restoring health and spirit in aged mares” is the Haven’s motto, and both Pete Mirabito, Farm Owner, and the Board and Volunteers work very hard to make sure the ladies of the Haven are taken care of with the very best care every day.

As a racehorse she gave us excitement and joy. As a brood mare she gave us a vision for
the future. She has lived through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I am
determined she will leave this life on a high.

Cherished and loved. Somebody’s favorite horse.

Our Team

The Board

Pete Mirabito

President and Farm Owner

Pete Mirabito has been a volunteer at The Haven since its inception. You will find him at many events where The Haven is represented and at the farm doing whatever is needed to support the residents. Jeanne, the founder of The Haven, is his hero.

Ann Cheek

Vice President

Ann is a lifetime horsewoman with a vast amount of skills. She dedicated half of her life to the care of broodmares, helping them to foal and teaching their babies the first lessons they needed to learn. She worked with mares like Inside Information, My Flag, Storm Flag Flying, Flagrant, First Passage and more.

Ann began volunteering in 2011 on the weekends. When Jeanne approached her about working for The Haven in 2016, it really didn’t take much for Ann to agree. Her knowledge in elder horse care has grown tremendously since coming to The Haven, having been mentored by Jeanne. Combined with her previous experience, her knowledge on handling and caring for The Ladies is top notch. She does everything from daily horse care and barn maintenance to guiding tours and mowing grass.

Sidna Madden

Secretary

Sidna was first introduced to and began supporting The Haven when Ann Cheek introduced her to Jeanne Mirabito in 2012, and has been hooked ever since. She spends her ‘vacation’ a week at a time at The Haven helping Ann with the horses, and around the barn; and Braggin’ Rights has adopted her as her own human.

She is a lifelong Thoroughbred lover, and racing fan, and currently has her own OTTB. In Oklahoma, Sidna serves as the Executive Director for a Federally-funded Non-profit. That, combined with her finance/accounting background made her the perfect addition to The Haven’s board.

The Interns

Brinna Voss

Assistant Barn Manager

Brinna is a junior at the University of Kentucky studying Equine Science and Management, coming out to the farm one a week to help Ann with The Ladies. Having grown up in Kentucky, horses have always been a part of her life from riding lessons to now learning the ins and outs of elder horse care.

The Volunteers

Suzy Bonin and Becky Burton

Cemetery Angels

This mother and daughter teamed up to keep The Invincible Cemetery looking fabulous year round. All landscaping, mowing, weed eating and gardening are taken care of by this wonderful caring duo