Will Harry Styles Fans Make Dunkirk The Horse Famous?

If you love Harry Styles and horses, there is a Venn diagram where they overlap, and it has to do with the name of his first film, Dunkirk. However, in this case, Dunkirk is a thoroughbred race horse, and this rare gray beauty could eventually need a little bit of help from Harry Styles’ fans.

After all, it is not uncommon for Harry Styles fans to donate to good causes, and the boat that is featured in the movie Dunkirk was a recent focus. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Harry Styles’ fans worked to have a boat named Skylark restored that is related to the story behind the movie, Dunkirk.

In other words, fans have already made a boat famous just because it was related to the Harry Styles movie, so why not other things related to Dunkirk?

Interestingly, Harry Styles fans are helping fans of Dunkirk, the horse, to remember him. For example, on Twitter around August 4, a horse racing fan writes, “Saw Dunkirk trending, and of course I thought of the horse!”

On top of this, many Harry Styles fans are deeply interested in the idea of him and horses. For example, on May 8, one fan writes “[If Harry Styles plays] in Dunkirk and he is an officer I want him to ride a horse.”

In addition, there is a fan account on Twitter with a modest following that is centered around Harry Styles “as a horse.”

Sadly, the horse Dunkirk might eventually need some supportive fans like the kind Harry Styles has. Dunkirk the gray thoroughbred (not to be confused with Dunkirk the gelded dressage horse), was born in 2006, and he had a lot of luck as a top horse trained by Todd Pletcher.

For example, Dunkirk, the horse, ran in the 2009 Kentucky Derby and 2009 Belmont Stakes. Dunkirk was the first or second place winner in almost all of his races, according to Horse Racing Nation, with the exception of the Kentucky Derby.

In addition to being a rare gray thoroughbred that BBC News says is an indication of being related to Alcock’s Arabian, born in 1700, Dunkirk the horse is also related to several famous Kentucky Derby winners. Some of the names that are still known today are Seattle Slew, Alydar, Native Dancer, Unbridled, Secretariat, and Gold Digger.

Soon after his exciting year of racing in 2009, Dunkirk the horse was retired to father more horses in Kentucky at Ashford Stud. In 2014, according to the Paulick Report, Dunkirk was sold as a stud to Japan. Hokkaido Island in Japan is a popular destination for horse breeding, and 2014 Kentucky Derby winner, I’ll Have Another, also lives on the same island as Dunkirk, according to the New York Times.

Dunkirk has been purchased by Japan Race Horse Agency and will stand at East Stud on the island of Hokkaido in 2015 pic.twitter.com/4P41z1RoZj

— paula (@_iofthestorm_) August 15, 2014

Regardless, Dunkirk’s job as a stud in Japan may not last forever since he is getting older, and this means he might be retired in the next decade. For example, The Horse explains that there are some senior stud stallions over 20-years-old, but most will retire from stud duties when they start to lose interest or develop natural, horse-related arthritis around age 15.

On the other hand, Dunkirk, the horse, might be made famous and moved back to America because of the success of some of his children. For example, Dunkirk has sired the Champagne Stakes winner, Havana.

Dunkirk was also the top-earning sire in 2013 because his children won five major horse races that year. In addition, Dunkirk sired Sir Dudley, and he was the winner of one of the Canadian Triple Crown races at Woodbine racetrack.

Ultimately, when Dunkirk retires from stud duty, he may return to his former trainer, Todd Pletcher, at one of his barns throughout America. Dunkirk was also owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, and they might house the horse when he retires.

The idea that Dunkirk will return to his owners or trainers is not impossible to believe since many horses retire to live with their trainers or former owners, and Graham Motion is a good example.

Before winning the Kentucky Derby in 2011 with Animal Kingdom, Graham Motion did an interview with reporters and told them that two of his champions still live in his barns where he trains horses. According to his wife, Anita Motion, 23-year-old Gala Spinaway and 12-year-old Better Talk Now are called the “grumpy old men” of the stable, and they are cherished horses.

One other ideal destination for Dunkirk to spend his final days is a horse rescue or horse retirement farm. Unlike smaller animals such as dogs or cats, horses require specialized care, and rich racehorse owners often help care for horses in need at organizations like the Freedom Hill Horse Rescue in none other than Dunkirk, Maryland.

Other horse rescue and retirement organizations often supported by the horse industry include Speak Up for Horses and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. In some cases, these organizations need fan support. For instance, the New Vocations horse rescue is asking for donations to build the top horse retirement facility in the world.

Other horse retirement and rescue projects are sponsored by major corporations. In particular, the sponsors of the Kentucky Derby for the past few years has been Yum! Brands, and they donate heavily to the Second Stride program for retired horses.

Maker’s Mark also has a specific bottle that is decorated to indicate that all of the proceeds go to support Old Friends, a thoroughbred retirement farm in Kentucky.

In other words, if Harry Styles fans want to see him in a picture with Dunkirk the horse in Dunkirk, Maryland while wearing his Dunkirk costume, this could, one day, become a fascinating fundraiser for retired horses.

[Featured Image by Robert Altman/Invision/AP Images]