Remember the amazing story of Miranda Prather and Blue Blue Sea? It didn't surprise me to hear that Blue Blue Sea, a 12-year-old gelding by Sea Hero, currently has nearly 680 fans on Facebook. Prather contacted me a few weeks ago about a new development in the horse’s family that I would like to share.
Recently, Prather began following the progress of Blue Blue Sea’s dam, Alytude. The Alysheba mare was bought by a farm in Puerto Rico the year Blue Blue Sea was born.
“In 2008, the farm sent me pictures of her 2007 foal--a chestnut colt that had many similarities to Blue,” said Prather, who carefully tracked down the mare’s whereabouts. “The colt would go on to be sold and be named Gran Huracan. He's by Casanova Star, a son of A.P. Indy, so he's got some very famous names behind him (he is inbred 4X5 to Bold Ruler and 5X5 to both Princequillo and Native Dancer). I've followed his career and became concerned in June when he did not finish a race.”
Gran Huracan in Puerto Rico
Prather contacted Kellie Paz of Horse Rescue Caribbean, who helped her keep watch on Gran Huracan.
“In June he was OK; the owner wanted to run him one more time,” said Prather. “The next time out, he finished well, so the owner raced him again a few weeks back. In that race, he did not finish again. Gran Huracan was out of chances and needed to go.”
After doing some research on the unfortunate fate of many of the racehorses in Puerto Rico, Prather feared her time to rescue Gran Huracan was limited.
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Prather of making calls and arrangements, but through the help of Blue Blue Sea’s Facebook fans, Paz, Bernel Kress of Freedom Crossing in Florida, and Jennifer Swanson and Bradley Gaver’s Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue, it appears that everything is coming together for Gran Huracan to spend the rest of his days at Pure Thoughts near Loxahatchee, Fla.
The total cost for Gran Huracan’s quarantine, transport, and shipping comes to about $5,000, however, which does not include any medical expense he may incur during travel or once he has arrived. Pure Thoughts has set up an online raffle to help raise funds on its home page, www.PTHR.org, including a chance to win a trip to Marco Island, Fla.
“After hearing how touching Miranda’s connection with Gran Huracan was, I knew we had to help them,” said Swanson. “Since bringing in the British Virgin Island horses earlier this year, and through Hurricane Irene no less, I had a better understanding of how to get him here, but we desperately need community support in the form of donations. We cannot do this without our community.”
