S3 E8: Manifesting the Kentucky 5*: Alex Conrad & Malibu Preacher

n this episode of OTTB on Tap, we’re joined by newly minted 5* rider Alex Conrad, fresh off his incredible Kentucky debut with his OTTB superstar, Malibu Preacher.What we expected was a great conversation about eventing, Kentucky, and producing an off-track Thoroughbred to the top of the sport. What we got was something even more special: a genuinely heartwarming, thoughtful, and unexpectedly emotional conversation with one of the warmest guests we’ve had on the show.Alex takes us back to the beginning, from growing up in the Boston suburbs and falling hard for horses, to choosing the barn over the med school track, to building a career around hard work, catch rides, clinics, and a deep belief in Thoroughbreds. His story is full of the kind of quiet determination that reminds you why horse people keep showing up, even when the path is anything but straightforward.We also go behind the stall door with Malibu Preacher, the former steeplechaser who helped take Alex all the way to Kentucky. Alex shares how MP came into his life, what makes him both challenging and special, how he felt around his first 5* track, and why producing him from the lower levels made crossing that finish line even more meaningful.Along the way, we talk about grit, belief, the village it takes to get a horse to the top, the emotional weight of Kentucky, Alex’s grandfather’s dog tags, and why OTTBs continue to be some of the most generous horses in the sport.This is one of those conversations that stayed with us after we stopped recording, and we hope you love it as much as we did.Cheers, Niamh & Emily