Often described as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the Kentucky Derby is a feast for the senses. The colorful sight of elaborate fashions. The tingling taste of mint juleps. The hopeful feel of that betting marker carrying the wish of a win. The fragrant smell of the winner’s rose garland. The vibrating sound of thundering hooves. Every sense is stimulated.
Let’s zero in on just one and consider those thundering hooves for a moment. Think about the critical role of the horses’ feet in racing to the finish line. And look, there’s Norton Abrasives back in the stable helping make success possible.
A Shoe-in for Success
Horses don’t run on their natural hooves. Instead, a trained specialist known as a “farrier” combines blacksmith skills with equine lower-limb knowledge to support safe, healthy hoof function. A farrier will trim, balance, and shoe the horse on a regular basis (approximately every four to six weeks), often custom-shaping the horseshoes using traditional smithing techniques.
Farriers require unique skills and specialized tools to perform their duties. That’s where Farrier Products Distribution (FPD) enters the picture. Established in 1990, FPD is now a full partner with the Holland-based Royal Kerckhaert Horseshoe Factory. FPD is a wholesale distributor that supplies a network of farrier supply shops across the US and Canada from their home-base of operations in the heart of horse country: Shelbyville, Kentucky.
“Our mission is to further the needs of the farrier through bringing the best products to market that make their lives as easy as possible. This is an ever-evolving trade, and at the end of the day we want to ensure the ultimate well-being of the horse. Through our educational support, we serve as a hub for sharing ideas, knowledge, and practices that make hoof care and horse welfare the top priority.”
—Ed Szymanski, FPD Sales Manager
Commitment to Quality
Even without selling direct to their target audience, FPD can still track the performance of the products they sell through individual farriers. Szymanski notes that for the last several years running, many of the horses in the Derby field have worn Kerckhaert race plates, even a few of the winners – including 2024 Derby winner Mystik Dan and 2025 Derby winner Sovereignty. With that track record and reputation at stake, they are very particular about the products that go into their inventory. Norton RazorStar belts meet their tough criteria.
“If there's an opportunity to bring something better to the table than what we're currently offering, we're going to investigate that and find out where the opportunities lie,” Szymanski said. “And with Norton, it was pretty easy. Once we did some field testing, we quickly realized that those RazorStar belts are every bit as good as the promotional claims we heard.”
The primary use for the RazorStar belt is to do final modifications to the horseshoes before they're applied to the feet. Typically, the belts are used to bevel smoother edges on the shoes to protect the horse. Sometimes, the farrier will also use the belts to fit pads to shoes, trimming excess material off. The primary concern is the safety of the horse, taking away any material that doesn't need to be there to make sure the horse can't catch or cut itself or injure another horse because of excess steel sticking out where it shouldn't.
Since introducing their customers to Norton RazorStar, FPD has had a very favorable response. “Farriers that are using them absolutely love them. They're extremely happy with not only the price of them, but they’re also extremely happy with the durability and how clean they cut, how fast they cut,” Szymanski observed. “What I think might be the most talked about feature is how much cooler the material is after they're done grinding, especially compared to other abrasives that have been used. Once they put it on their grinder, it's not coming off. That's going to be their belt going forward.”
Szymanski also expressed that FPD’s satisfaction goes beyond the product. “Norton checks all the boxes for us. They meet the same high standards that we expect of ourselves by being able to reliably supply our customers and treat them as partners rather than as just a number. That's the same way we feel working with Norton. They are able to supply the product we need when we need it. And if we have questions or concerns, we're able to reach out to our rep and have those addressed quickly and respectfully. It works great.”
Racing Ahead: a Surprising Norton Solution
Now you know. As you revel in the upcoming Kentucky Derby excitement, you’ll be watching Norton products working hard to support winning efforts in surprising ways. Let us know if you have a challenge that needs a Norton solution.