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Beyond the Blinkers Guest Blog By Mary Cage It was simply supposed to be a new experience, something fun that would expose me to another part of the sport of horse racing, the part of the industry that I did not realize at the time would be where I would find my greatest passion. My trip to the under-tack show for the 2010 Fasig-Tipton ...

When Tommie Ashley contacted me with the story of off-track Thoroughbred Mountain Fox (''Danny''), I couldn't believe the trials this now 30-year-old gelding had been through.  While this story (and photos) are not for the faint at heart, in the end, you will be amazed at Danny's resilient spirit and will to live, as well as the deep love of ...

I love it when a past Beyond the Blinkers subject takes the time to email and give me an update on his or her off track Thoroughbred! Do you guys remember the story of Windy Jim as told by owner Jackie Cross in March 2011? (Click here to refresh your memory). Well, Jackie emailed me a few weeks ago to give me an update on the 16-year-old Feel the ...

New Vocations, which I have highlighted several times in the past on this blog, has received some exciting results from its 2012 Breeders' Cup Pledge, with more than 17 owners or partnership groups and five trainers committing a portion of their horses' Breeders' Cup earnings to the non-profit organization's mission to rehabilitate, retrain, and ...

When Chad Reed's parents gave him a $5,000 budget to pick out a mare at the 2009 Keeneland November mixed sale at age 11, he never dreamed it would eventually result in a Breeders' Cup starter. But that's exactly what happened when the adolescent Thoroughbred enthusiast signed the ticket for the Carson City mare Golden Kitty with his father, ...

In light of the recent Woodbine Mile (Can-IT), won in brilliant fashion by Wise Dan Sept. 16, I was reminded of another past Mile winner, Rahy's Attorney. I'm happy to report that the Canadian fan favorite, who was retired in August 2011 after sustaining a minor leg injury in that year's Sword Dancer (gr. IT), is back to work. According to ...

Remi Gunn has fallen on times in recent years--from the riding accident that left her paralyzed in 2003--to the financial struggles that almost claimed her farm. But in the wake of the amazing rescue and homecoming of Diamonds for Remi, a horse she bred, owned, and rode during her years as a jockey, Gunn can't recall a period in life when she was ...

My first trip to Saratoga Springs was a whirlwind—four days and nights at the Spa seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, I was returning to Lexington, back to reality. When I told people I was traveling for the first time to this quaint, upstate New York town for the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale (Aug. 6-7), the response was almost ...

A year and a half ago, Zodiac was the most critically ill horse to ever come through the gates of the Woodbine, Md.-based Days End Horse Rescue. But thanks to the help from many, he has endured through the darkest of days and gained a second chance at life. Maybe you’ve heard of this charming chestnut gelding, who raced successfully under the ...

One day last month, I had the privilege of visiting New Vocations’ Lexington facility at West Wind Farm. Located in the heart of the rolling, Bluegrass hills, it’s a beautiful operation and is currently home to 15 horses. Some of its residents have already been adopted and are waiting to transition out of the farm, while others receive daily, ...