Miss Fifty: One Year Together

If you do not know Miss Fifty’s special story, please read my article on BloodHorse.com here.

Winter has arrived early this year. Icicles hang from the fence as a cold north wind slices through the air. I trudge over the grass in my backyard as I make my way from my house to my barn. Opening the small door on the side of the barn, I am greeted by the shrill whinny of a small, chestnut Thoroughbred. Under the yellow tint of the lights, her coat gleams like copper – a sight far more brilliant than most of the sights outside.

The copper shine comes from the coat of Miss Fifty, a five-year-old daughter of Johannesburg. She lifts her head high as I approach her stall, sticking her nose through the bars to greet me as she gazes at me with kind eyes. I place my hand upon her face as we greet each other. It is a tender moment between a girl and her horse.

And then Miss Fifty begins weaving. She lowers her head as she splays her front legs and begins to sway from side to side. With a sigh and a bit of a grin, I withdraw my hand and shake my head. Along my journey with Miss Fifty, much has changed. But some things never change.

Miss Fifty
Photo by Mary Cage

Over a year ago, I was in California for my third Breeders’ Cup. Meanwhile, my dad led an injured, lanky Thoroughbred out of our horse trailer and into our barn. He sent me a photo of her in her new stall and I immediately called him, asking about my new horse.

But I wasn’t calling to ask him about her characteristics. I already knew much about Fifty, having met her before her racing career – which I loyally followed – ever began. Instead, I was calling to ask how she was settling in.

“Well, she’s doing that weaving thing,” my dad responded.

Days later, I returned home after an incredible Breeders’ Cup. I immediately went into the barn, where my eyes took in the sight of Miss Fifty for the first time in two years. The last time I had seen her, she was at Churchill Downs. Now, she was in my barn. Entering her stall, I placed my hand on her face, gazing at her. All I could think was, “Who’d have known. . .?”

Miss Fifty
Photo by Mary Cage

My year with Miss Fifty as my own horse has been full of ups and downs, but no matter what, I always stop and think about how amazing it is to have her in my barn. If someone had told me as she was breezing down the stretch of Lone Star Park for the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale that she would be someday mine, I would laugh. When she dashed to victory at Churchill Downs in July 2011 prior to being claimed for the first time, I would have shook my head at the thought that I would ever see her again. But now I see her every day.

Unfortunately, Miss Fifty’s racing career came to a sooner end than expected when she fractured the two proximal sesamoids in her right foreleg. Due to this injury, she was placed on stall rest for nearly seven months. These months were incredibly frustrating, as Fifty simply wanted nothing more than to leave her stall. At times, I would grow not only frustrated – for her sake – that she could not escape the barn, but I would also occasionally become irritated by her, as she was difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle due to her pent-up energy. Despite this, however, my heart went out to her and I ached for her to be happier.

An April 2013 vet appointment offered the option of hand-walking Miss Fifty. At first, I was thrilled that Fifty now had an opportunity to be out of the barn. However, the fresh air of the outside world was overwhelming for her and she still wanted the one thing she had not experienced in a very long time: freedom. She remained very difficult to handle and, as a result, the amount of times she was able to be hand-walked vastly diminished.

A month later, however, came the greatest news surrounding Miss Fifty that I have received since she became mine. She had healed enough that she could finally be turned out. Since May, Fifty has enjoyed spending time in a small pen, where she can kick up her heels, enjoy the fresh air, feel the coolness of light rain upon her back, and absorb the sights and sounds of “the outside world.” At times, weather impedes her turnout time, forcing her to stay in her stall, but Fifty is a much happier horse now that she is able to enjoy being turned out.

As a result, she has become much easier to handle. It has become evident that Fifty is the type of horse that loves to please people. Although she still weaves and at times can be overly energetic, she has learned to listen and strives to be on her best behavior.

But most of all, as Miss Fifty has healed and grown to be calmer, the sweetness that made me fall in love with her at the two-year-old sale more than three and a half years ago has returned. Her lips wiggle when I scratch her favorite spot: just along the crest of her neck. Her liquid brown eyes stare softly into mine when I stroke her face. She stares at me fixedly and whinnies when I exit the tack room, as she knows that is where the treats are stored.

It has been a blessing to call Fifty mine for the past year. Never will I take her for granted. Each day, I thank God that her journey led her into my barn. What the remainder of our journey together holds is a mystery, but each day, I will be grateful for having such a special horse in my life. Thank you, Miss Fifty. I love you.

Of course, I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone that has made this journey possible, especially Dolphus Morrison, Lon Wiggins, and Nate Vrable. Without your help and generosity, this fantastic mare would not be in my barn. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Please enjoy these videos of Miss Fifty enjoying turnout time, as well as the three previous updates I have posted about her.

Miss Fifty kicking up her heels, November 2013: http://instagram.com/p/goOlssl10Z/

Miss Fifty being curious during turnout time, November 2013: http://instagram.com/p/gwu5C0iVeO/

Miss Fifty enjoying turnout time, October 2013: http://instagram.com/p/fVsuVGl15f/

Miss Fifty: Update Three

Miss Fifty: Update Two

Miss Fifty: Update One

Industrial Policy: All in the Family

“I never could have known when I wrote down Hip No. 50 in my journal of horses to watch at a nearby Fasig-Tipton sale in 2010 that it would lead to such an incredible journey. Each time I see my beloved Fifty, I know that if I had never had the courage to write Dolphus Morrison, I never would have essentially experienced what it felt like to own a racehorse while I was so young. I never would have led a horse onto the track at Churchill Downs as a young fan or come within inches of the great Zenyatta. And most of all, I know God has blessed me with a tremendous filly that will always be an important part of my life.” – OTTB Spotlight: Miss Fifty, December 2012

Miss Fifty’s racing days are over and with the conclusion of those days comes the end of tracking her workouts and races, replaced with feeding her grain and alfalfa every day – and of course treats that she demands she be given. She is now retired from the racetrack, where she earned $81,917 in 17 starts.

But while her career has come to an end, that of her three-year-old half-sister – Industrial Policy – is just beginning. Born just weeks before I met Miss Fifty, Industrial Policy and Fifty share the same dam in Copa de Oro (by Coronado’s Quest), but, whereas Miss Fifty is sired by Johannesburg, Industrial Policy is a daughter of Harlan’s Holiday.

As a two-year-old, Industrial Policy was purchased by Klaravich Stables for $75,000 at the OBS April Sale. Klaravich Stables, headed by Seth Klarman – the founder and president of one of the world’s largest hedge funds, The Baupost Group – is run in partnership with another successful businessman: William Lawrence, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of one of the world’s most distinguished alternative investment advisers. Like many horses that carry the white and red silks for Klaravich Stables, the daughter of Harlan’s Holiday was given a name with a financial theme.

Placed in the barn of Chad Brown – a young, successful trainer who had previously worked for the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel – Industrial Policy made her debut on December 16, 2012 at Aqueduct, encountering a field of five other two-year-old fillies in a maiden special weight going a mile and seventy yards over the inner track. Tracking the pace, Industrial Policy made a rally in the late stages, finishing a good second behind the runaway winner. Although she crossed the wire six lengths behind the winner, she was five lengths clear of the third-place finisher.

Industrial Policy’s respectable debut earned her favoritism in her second start, but the filly could only manage a third-place finish in a five-horse field. After another third-place effort at Aqueduct – this time in just a four-horse contest – Industrial Policy descended to the maiden claiming ranks.

In her first start at the claiming level, Industrial Policy was available for a $65,000 tag in a race that had been initially scheduled for the turf, but had been taken off the grass due to rain. Again, the blaze-faced filly finished third. Competing at the same level in her subsequent start – and this time on the turf – Industrial Policy made her Belmont Park debut, in which she made a notable late rally, only to come up a head short as she finished second.

This game effort earned a return to maiden special weight company, which came two and one-half months later at Saratoga. Remaining on the turf, Industrial Policy faced seven rivals in the mile and one-sixteenth contest. The filly closed from nearly the rear of the field to finish second, separated by the winner by just ¾ of a length.

On August 19, Industrial Policy went to post for her seventh lifetime start. Despite several good performances – she’d never finished worse than third – she’d yet to visit the winner’s circle. Staying in maiden special weight company on the grass, the Chad Brown trainee was extending to a mile and three-sixteenths – a furlong farther than she had ever traveled.

Breaking from the outside in a nine-horse field, Industrial Policy settled into her usual closing position near the back, racing three paths off the rail as the fillies entered the first turn. With five lengths separating her from the leader down the backstretch, Industrial Policy remained off the rail, racing alongside rivals as the horses neared the final bend.

Jose Ortiz, who had ridden the filly in her third start, gradually began to ask Industrial Policy to increase the pace around the far turn. As a contingent of horses battled for the lead at the top of the stretch, forming a wall before the daughter of Harlan’s Holiday, Industrial Policy was forced to swing widest of all in order to find racing room. Charging down the center of the track, Industrial Policy found her best stride at the sixteenth pole, suddenly accelerating impressively as she surpassed her opponents, kicking clear to win by an easy two lengths.

Now that Industrial Policy has finally earned a victory, more difficult battles await, as she will no longer face horses who have never won. But even though it took her seven attempts to break her maiden, she has been a very consistent runner who has never lacked ability. No matter what her future holds, Industrial Policy will have a loyal follower in me.

Pedigree Analysis

The first of Copa de Oro’s offspring to be sired by a stallion other than Johannesburg, Industrial Policy is a daughter of another grandson of Storm Cat, Harlan’s Holiday. A graded stakes winner as a two-year-old and a grade one winner at both three and four, Harlan’s Holiday was an outstanding racehorse, winning two of the most well-known Kentucky Derby (GI) prep races – the Florida Derby (GI) and Blue Grass Stakes (GI) – as a sophomore before capturing the Donn Handicap (GI) as a four-year-old prior to finishing second in the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup (GI).

Harlan’s Holiday has carried his brilliance into his stud career, which began at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky. Now standing at one of the nation’s premier farms, WinStar Farm, Harlan’s Holiday’s progeny have found success both in the sales ring and on the track since the earner of $3.6 million entered stud in 2004. In just his first crop, Harlan’s Holiday produced nine stakes winners, including the grade one-winning juvenile Into Mischief – who has blossomed into a successful sire himself.

Harlan’s Holiday has sired ten grade one horses to date, including the 2012 Champion Two-Year-Old Male Shanghai Bobby, the grade one-winning Majesticperfection, and Denis of Cork – who finished second in the Belmont Stakes (GI) and third in the Kentucky Derby. Harlan’s Holiday is currently ninth on this year’s list of leading sires in North America, on which he finished eleventh last year in terms of earnings. He ranked eighth among sires of stakes winners in 2012, for which he currently stands in sixth.

The sire of Harlan’s Holiday, Harlan, was a grade one-winning sprinter whose success as a sire – though respectable – does not match his own son’s achievements, although Harlan’s Holiday has not yet sired an equivalent to himself. Also the sire of the multiple grade one-winning Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (GI) runner-up Menifee, Harlan is a son of the legendary Storm Cat. This of course makes Harlan’s Holiday a grandson of the tremendous sire, allowing him to share that status with several other notable stallions, including not only Johannesburg, but also First Samurai, Shamardal, and Wiseman’s Ferry.

The successful Storm Cat/Mr. Prospector sire line cross was brought to life with Industrial Policy. Ann and Jerry Moss of Zenyatta fame chose to keep their mare, Copa de Oro, with a sire from the Storm Cat line, choosing Harlan’s Holiday. This cross has produced many of Harlan’s Holiday’s graded stakes winners, including Denis of Cork, General Election, Mendip, Notacatbutallama, and Willcox Inn. The Storm Cat/Mr. Prospector cross in general has been incredibly productive, yielding the likes of the grade one winners Aragorn, Book Review, Denebola, Finder’s Fee, Ghanaati, Mani Bhavan, and One Cool Cat.

Copa de Oro is a daughter of Coronado’s Quest, a multiple grade one-winning son of champion Forty Niner. Coronado’s Quest, a homebred for Stuart S. Janney III, has also served as the broodmare sire of the grade one winners Boys at Tosconova and Mani Bhavan, as well as the additional graded stakes winners Delaunay and Mendip.

Although winless in her six starts, all three of Copa de Oro’s foals that have raced have found the winner’s circle, each of them earning at least $60,000. Her first foal, a Johannesburg colt named Gold Cup Kid, won four of his twelve starts, earning $61,530 while only once running outside the claiming or starter allowance ranks. Miss Fifty, her second foal, garnered $81,917 in her seventeen-race career, capturing five of those starts.

Industrial Policy, although she has only won once thus far, is arguably Copa de Oro’s best foal yet, having earned $100,000 while only running for a tag twice. With a win at America’s most prestigious meet, Industrial Policy has shown perhaps the most class of any of Copa de Oro’s offspring.

Copa de Oro’s dam is the multiple stakes-winning Slide Show, who produced the graded stakes-winning, multiple grade one-placed Voodoo. Slide Show, a daughter of the stakes-placed Screen Landing, is a half-sister to the black-type winner Goodie Good Girl and the black-type-placed runners Boomer Land and Western Flick.

Through her dam, Industrial Policy is a direct descendant of the Reine De Course mare Astrology, a stakes-placed English-bred mare who produced the stakes-winning leading sire Star Shoot, who sired the first American Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton. As a descendant of female family nine, Industrial Policy is a member of the same family as Alydar, Bull Lea, Mahmoud, Shergar, Urban Sea, and Upset.

Miss Fifty: Update Three

This is the third update on Miss Fifty since the publication of her story on BloodHorse.com. I will continue to post updates about her on this blog, though they will likely only be occasional. If you have not yet read Miss Fifty’s story, please do so here. Read the most recent update prior to this one here.

In the last update for Miss Fifty, I informed readers that we were given the go-ahead by our veterinarian to begin hand-walking her and turning her out in a small pen. Since we did not have a small pen to put her in at the time, we were left to begin hand-walking her only.

But Fifty’s walks have been limited, in part due to her rambunctious behavior. Still, we wanted her to spend as much time as possible outside and we began to think of ways that would allow Fifty to be able to enjoy time outside. Eventually, we put up a fence panel that separated one of our pens in half. This allowed us to form the perfect-sized turn-out area for Fifty.

A month after her second vet appointment, we turned Fifty out for the first time. Despite a few brief moments in which she became very energetic, she seemed very relaxed, focused instead on how happy she was to be outside. For hours, she stood in the sunshine, eagerly watching the sights around her as she relished spending time outside for the first time in months.

I’d never seen Fifty as happy as she was during her first afternoon outside. It is a thrill to see her so content, finally enjoying what she has been limited from seeing due to her injury. The best part? Walking out my back door to the whinny of the filly I always dreamed of owning.

Miss Fifty spending her first afternoon outside
Photo by Mary Cage (iPhone photo)

Diary of Dexter: Reunited

In the summer of 2012, my first off-the-track Thoroughbred, Wet Paint (A.K.A. Dexter) departed my home for “boot camp” with my older sister. He had been showing behavioral issues while being ridden and as a result, he found himself under my sister’s care as she worked on his problems. Other than a pair of very brief visits, I spent months away from my very first Thoroughbred.

But circumstances lined up in an order that resulted in Dexter returning home. On the day he returned, I arrived home and instead of going into the house first, I immediately went to greet him. Exhibiting the same “puppy personality” he has shown since I first met him, Dexter plodded towards me, allowing me to rub his face.

Dexter
Photo by Mary Cage (iPhone photo)

Two days later, I led Dexter into the barn for our first ride in countless months. Trudging along as if he’d just galloped five miles, I saddled Dexter – an eight-year-old gelding sired by Chelsey Cat (by Storm Cat) and out of a Lost Code mare – before leading him into the round pen to longe him.

As expected, Dexter’s lazy attitude had been an act. Cantering around the ring at full speed, I longed Dexter for several minutes before I finally climbed aboard him. As I settled into the saddle, I thought back to when I very first rode him, when the initial thought that ran through my mind was, “Wow. I’m riding my very own Thoroughbred.”

With a smile, our ride began. Although Dexter did display hints of old bad habits, he behaved rather well and cantered better than ever before. As it had in the past, his canter filled me with joy, making me feel alive as his red mane whipped in wind before me as we rode around.

To end the ride, Dexter and I had a little fun going over a small log – used for a practice trail course – lying on the ground in the pasture. We began crossing it at just a walk before moving up to a trot and, eventually, a canter. It was incredibly fun.

After his ride, I gave Dexter a long bath underneath the warm April sun. His red coat, now soaked, gleamed a dark mahogany. Once he had dried, I turned him out, but not before allowing him to visit Miss Fifty. The two eagerly touched noses and I couldn’t help but think they could be swapping stories of their racing days.

Fifty and Dexter
Photo by Mary Cage (iPhone photo)

It is a joy to not only have Dexter back, but to know that he and Fifty practically live in my backyard. It has always been a dream of mine to own an ex-racehorse and now I have two – both of which are very special horses that are dear to my heart.

Miss Fifty: Update Two

This is the second update on Miss Fifty since the publication of her story on BloodHorse.com. I will continue to post updates about her on this blog, though they will likely only be occasional for the time being. If you have not yet read Miss Fifty’s story, please do so here. Read the most recent update prior to this one here.

One day not long ago during Miss Fifty’s recovery, I allowed her to stand at the end of the barn, overlooking the sights outside – sights she’d never seen before. For minutes, she stood like a statue, her neck extended, her eyes bright, and her ears forward as she took in the new scene. It was one of the happiest I’d seen her since she became mine more than six months ago.

Miss Fifty looking outside the barn
Photo by Mary Cage (iPhone photo)

Moments later, however, I led her into a stall, where she could see a limited part of the outside world. It has pained me to watch her be forced to stay in a stall constantly, her only adventure being the few short steps from one stall to another when she periodically moves stalls. But in order for her to heal properly from her two fractured proximal sesamoids – or the small bones located on the back of the fetlock – in her right foreleg (an injury which occurred last September), Fifty has had to stay on stall rest.

At a vet appointment shortly after Christmas, our veterinarian informed us that the daughter of Johannesburg would need to remain stall-bound for at least another three months. At the end of that term, she would need to be x-rayed again in order to determine if she could be hand-walked or turned out.

On the afternoon of April 11, Fifty made her second trip to our veterinary clinic. Our veterinarian examined her leg, noting that – as expected – there was a build-up of scar tissue, before taking x-rays. With anticipation, I held on to the lead attached to her halter as I awaited the x-ray results. Minutes later, the veterinarian emerged, stating that the injury was trying to heal, but the fracture line was still visible. He informed us that it would be at least another three months before she could be turned out in a large area, but we could begin hand-walking her and turn her out in a small pen. However, we are not able to provide her with the latter just yet.

Nonetheless, I was thrilled for Fifty. I hadn’t been expecting for her to be able to be turned out, but the vet’s diagnosis that she could begin being hand-walked was what I’d been hoping for. We will begin with hand-walking her ten to fifteen minutes every other day before easing her into being hand-walked each day. This will expose Fifty to more of the world outside the barn, a world I know she has been anxiously waiting to see.

Hopefully, this will also allow her to calm down even further, as she has shown improvement in that department as well since the first update. During the first few months, she almost seemed like a completely different horse than when I’d initially met her, but she has become more comfortable despite being stall-bound and has showed her truly kind, smart self.

I will begin walking Fifty around a round pen, allowing her to finally enjoy time out of her stall. The path to recovery is a lengthy one, but as trialing as it has been, we will continue to strive to help Fifty. It has been a roller-coaster ride, but Fifty is worth it.

Miss Fifty: Update One

This is the first update on Miss Fifty since the publication of her story on BloodHorse.com. I will continue to post updates about her on this blog, though they will likely only be occasional for the time being. If you have not yet read Miss Fifty’s story, please do so here.

For more than two and one-half months, Miss Fifty has been living in my barn. After a journey I never could have formed with my imagination, Fifty is finally mine.

Miss Fifty
(With her on stall rest, good pictures
of her are difficult and rare. This was taken with
my iPhone.)
Photo by Mary Cage

But unfortunately for Fifty, those two and one-half months have been spent in a stall. Prior to the time she’s spent with me, she’d been stall-bound since late September due to fracturing the two proximal sesamoids – or the small bones located on the back of the fetlock – in her right foreleg. Upon watching Fifty walk, it is not obvious that she is injured, but the broken sesamoids require her to be on stall rest for a lengthy period of time.

When our veterinarian took x-rays of Fifty’s injury shortly after Christmas, the x-rays showed that the sesamoids were healing, but had not healed enough for her to leave the confinement of a stall except for when being moved from one stall to another or to travel to the veterinary clinic. He predicted that it will be at least another three months before Fifty can begin to be lightly hand-walked.

To make matters more complicated, Fifty is a weaver, or a horse that has a habit of shifting its weight, repeatedly rocking from side to side. This extra concussion placed on her legs is not a serious issue – though it is an annoying vice – but may pose as a slight impediment to the quickness of her healing. In addition, when upset or impatient, Fifty also has a habit of kicking the stall, particularly when another horse leaves the barn or at feeding time.

In order to make Fifty feel more comfortable and content while on stall rest, we have placed several toys in her stall. However, she doesn’t seem to be very entertained by these objects. Nonetheless, we will continue to try new things to entertain or distract her.

Fifty appears to be the calmest and most content when she is able to look outside the barn, watching activity going on beyond her stall, or when a horse is kept near her for an extended period of time. It has been a gradual process and will continue to be, but Fifty is beginning to become more mellow and content. Tender, loving care is the best thing for her.

Though it can be rather upsetting to see Fifty so distraught, this is just another bump in the road along a journey that has been abounding with ups and downs. This horse has gone through the barns of many different trainers, has been through a tornado, has suffered an eye injury, has dealt with the rigors of training, has been through one of the most terrifying and dangerous racing accidents of all-time, and, of course, has suffered a career-ending injury. She can get through this. It will take some time, but what doesn’t?

On a brighter note, the final connections that owned Fifty in her racing career – Julie and Nate Vrable of Long Shot Racing Stable, the incredibly generous people that gave Miss Fifty to me – recently sent me the win photos from the three races Fifty won for them. These photos joined Miss Fifty’s first win photo, which was given me to me by Dolphus Morrison, who was the one who purchased her out of the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale and the owner who named Miss Fifty for me. I am now just missing one of Fifty’s win photos!

Miss Fifty's Story on Blood-Horse

Almost exactly a year after my article about Lights on Broadway was published on Esther Marr's blog Beyond the Blinkers on BloodHorse.com, Miss Fifty's story was published on there as well. It is an honor to have two of my articles published on the website for the Blood-Horse and knowing that this story is about my own horse is unbelievable. Thank you to Esther for allowing this to happen, and of course to all that have been a part of my journey with Miss Fifty.

You can read "OTTB Spotlight: Miss Fifty" on BloodHorse.com by clicking here.

My Miss Fifty

This is the updated version of my blog post "The Story of Miss Fifty," which was published on February 3, 2012.

On December 20, 2012, an updated version of this article was published on BloodHorse.com as part of Esther Marr's blog Beyond the Blinkers. You can read it on Blood-Horse here.

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 become the section of the industry for which I would find my greatest passion. My trip to the under-tack show for the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Texas-Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale wasn’t supposed to change my life. But it did, and I am so grateful that it did, all thanks to a Thoroughbred filly.

Love at First Sight

Bred by Zenyatta’s owners Jerry and Ann Moss, the filly was born in Kentucky on April 18, 2008. As a yearling, she was sold for just $10,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and as a two-year-old, was consigned to the Fasig-Tipton Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale as hip fifty.

Miss Fifty
Photo by Terri Cage

After breezing in the under-tack show, the filly was returned to her stall on Lone Star Park’s backside. Later that day, my parents and I visited the barn area to look at the horses consigned in the sale.

Leading up to the sale, I had studied the catalogue, writing down horses I was impressed with based on pedigree. Hip fifty was one of them. I was even more impressed by the filly after watching her work on the track, in which she moved with a beautiful, flowing stride. The daughter of Johannesburg was one of many horses I visited on the backside with my parents.

But no other two-year-old caught my attention more than hip fifty. The chestnut filly captivated me with her sweet personality, acting like a puppy. When I ambled up to her stall, the daughter of Johannesburg eagerly walked up to me, nuzzling at me. I gently rubbed her face and she allowed me to hold her dainty head in my arms. I stayed there for several moments, just cradling her head. As I walked away from the filly, I caught the two-year-old staring at me as if she didn’t want me to leave. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave either. I wished I could somehow garner thousands of dollars so I could purchase the affectionate filly for myself.

Needless to say, I couldn’t get my mind off the filly, whom I had nicknamed Fifty for her hip number. I anxiously awaited the results of the sale, finding out that the daughter of Johannesburg had sold for $40,000 as the fifteenth highest-priced horse in the sale to Dolphus Morrison, breeder and former owner of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

I decided to find Dolphus Morrison’s address and once I did, I wrote a letter to him, explaining how much I loved the filly by Johannesburg he had just purchased. For days, I awaited a reply and frequently checked online to see if the filly had been officially named.

Not long before I received a reply from Mr. Morrison, I found that the filly had been named Miss Fifty. I was blown away and left wondering if Mr. Morrison had named the filly Miss Fifty because of my letter. My thoughts were confirmed when I soon received a letter from Mr. Morrison, in which he told me he had in fact named her Miss Fifty for the nickname I had given her.

Fifty was sent to Mr. Morrison’s go-to trainer, Lon Wiggins, son of Hal Wiggins, who trained Rachel Alexandra up until her impressive Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) victory. Fifty made her first start in October 2010 at Keeneland Racecourse. I kept my eyes glued to my television screen, watching as the filly loaded into the gate. Just when it seemed as if she and Calvin Borel would open up on the field, an eventual graded stakes winner swept by her, followed by four more horses. Fifty finished a decent fifth out of twelve two-year-old fillies. In her next start, a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, Fifty was never really a factor and finished last in a field of eleven. Nonetheless, I was excited for her future.

The Defining Moments

The third time I contacted Mr. Morrison, I was full of optimism, as I informed him that my family and I were visiting Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup. The prestigious event was of course being contested at Churchill Downs, the track at which Miss Fifty was stabled. Much to my delight, Mr. Morrison and Lon Wiggins arranged for me to visit Fifty at Churchill Downs on Breeders’ Cup weekend.

Visiting Fifty
Photo by Terri Cage

On Friday morning of the Breeders’ Cup, my sister, my mom, and I visited Mr. Wiggins’ barn. Mr. Wiggins led me to Fifty’s stall, allowing me to duck under the stall guard to visit the filly. I did so, cautiously walking up to her. Fifty turned her head when she heard me approaching, pricking her ears and tossing her nose in my direction. I smiled, stepping forward and allowing her to sniff my hand. I then stroked her face, telling her how much I’d missed her. I’d never dreamed I’d get to visit the filly. Yet, there I was, over seven months after I had met her, pampering the chestnut on the backside of Churchill Downs during Breeders’ Cup week. It was absolutely surreal.

After watching a stablemate of Fifty’s gallop over the track, it was time for the filly I adored to head out to the track. I thought I would simply just go watch, as I had with her stablemate, but Mr. Wiggins handed me the lead and showed me the way to the gap. I was actually leading Fifty toward the track. And it wasn’t just any track; it was Churchill Downs, the track on which a plethora of the greatest moments in the sport have taken place, the track on which so many dreams had been attained in a single moment. For me, that was one of those moments.

Leading Fifty onto the track
Photo by Terri Cage

I thought I was dreaming as I led Fifty onto the dirt surface. Across the expansive track, the Twin Spires smiled back at me as classy horses galloped and jogged past on the renowned oval. I unclipped the lead from the filly’s bridle and Mr. Wiggins allowed me to stand alongside the filly on the track. I did so, stroking her silky neck and shoulder as she stared inquisitively at the other horses galloping by.

Fifty then headed off for her gallop and I stood at the gap, watching Breeders’ Cup horses as I waited for her to come into view. Once I spotted the exquisite chestnut galloping beneath her exercise rider, my eyes locked on her, watching her gallop past me. It was a beautiful sight and one that will forever be engraved in my mind. Her breath came in snorts that were in sync with her stride, her hoofs beat over the dirt, and her ears were pricked eagerly as she galloped past, leaving me mesmerized by the sight of her in motion, the iconic Twin Spires acting as the perfect backdrop.

With Miss Fifty
Photo by Terri Cage

After Fifty was cooled out, we did a short photo-shoot with the filly and me. While the grade one-winning Paddy O’ Prado received a bath just a few feet away, I stood alongside Fifty outside of Mr. Wiggins’ barn, smiling into my mom’s camera. Considering my mom is a photographer, grinning for the camera can get quite old and fake. But this smile was far from fake – it was completely genuine.

That wasn’t the end of the morning. Mr. Wiggins led us to the other side of the backstretch to catch a glimpse of the great Zenyatta, my favorite racehorse of all-time. It was my first time to ever see the incredible mare and I stood breathless as I watched her walk onto the track before galloping in preparation for her final race. That wonderful morning provided me with the greatest day yet of my life and I will forever be grateful to Mr. Morrison and Mr. Wiggins for such an opportunity.

A Merry Christmas

Three weeks after my magical morning with Miss Fifty, the filly finished eleventh against the males in a maiden special weight at Churchill, finishing behind the eventual classic winners Fort Larned and Shackleford.

Mr. Wiggins then shipped his horses to Tampa Bay Downs. Fifty made her final start as a juvenile on the day after Christmas, dropping into the claiming ranks for the first time. I was incredibly worried that the beloved filly would get claimed from the connections that had so graciously kept me involved with her. Before leaving for a family Christmas celebration, I watched the race anxiously, my eyes glued to the television. I knew she would likely do well, but my main worry was that she would be claimed.

In the first race on Cotillion Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs, Fifty broke quickly and went to the lead in a maiden claiming (claiming price $25,000). She never looked back from there and went on to win by a remarkable 7 ¾ lengths. Throughout the entire homestretch, I was bouncing up and down with great joy.

However, the excitement began to wear off. Had she been claimed? The question rang in my head for what seemed like eternity until I received a result notification in my email. I anxiously opened the message, reading the results chart to find out the answer to the question. With a huge sigh of relief, I found that she had not been claimed. It truly was a merry Christmas.

A New Chapter

In January, her connections tried her in a stakes race, but Miss Fifty faded to finish last in a field of eight, losing to a future graded stakes winner. After two months off, Fifty returned in a five-furlong allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing third.

Following two sound losses in Kentucky, Fifty revisited the claiming ranks. Again, I became extremely anxious that she would be claimed. In a claiming race (claiming price $15,000) at Churchill, Fifty finished a good second, one of her best performances in some time. She seemed to have found the right level of competition and much to my delight, she had not been claimed.

Three days later, I competed in one of my biggest horse shows of the year. After returning home that evening, I spent some peaceful moments outside my barn with my newly-crowned grand champion mare, Pebbles. As the sun sank closer to the horizon, I leaned my head against my beloved mare’s shoulder, enjoying the peaceful moment.

A few minutes later, that peace was shattered. I came inside to learn that the backside of Churchill Downs had been hit by a tornado. My thoughts immediately jumped to Fifty and the Wiggins family. Frantically, I searched for news, praying that I would not find their names on a list of casualties or injuries. When I found out that no one had been hurt, it felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of relief on me.

Miss Fifty
Photo by Terri Cage

Just over a week after the tornado, Fifty was entered in a claiming race (claiming price $10,000) at Churchill Downs. She was sent off as the second choice and matched strides at the top of the lane with the favorite, a multiple black-type-placed filly. However, Fifty found another gear and went on to win the race by an easy 4 ¼ lengths under Calvin Borel.

As usual, I had watched the race live and, of course, was ecstatic that Fifty had won. I’d had a gut feeling that she would find the winner’s circle, but a certain gut feeling also existed: the sense that she would be claimed. Both gut feelings were confirmed.

After I discovered who Fifty had been claimed by, I wrote Mr. Morrison, thanking him for the entire experience. I knew my experience with sharing the filly’s career with him was over, but I was not going to allow my involvement with Fifty to end. She meant too much to me for that to happen.

For several weeks, my worry for Fifty escalated. I hadn’t received any email notifications regarding the filly and finally decided to send her new trainer a letter, explaining what Fifty meant to me. Just days later, the trainer sent me an email, telling me to call him.

I did. He informed me that the filly had hurt her eye but should be fine. The bigger news? He told me that he had enough horses and once they were done with Miss Fifty, I could have her. Needless to say, I was jubilant.

Then Fifty was entered in a race – a claiming race. She finished second in a claiming race (claiming price $7,500) at Presque Isle Downs and after the race had been run, I was devastated to find out that she had been claimed. I wasn’t going to give up on following her, however. I would not allow this journey to come to an end because of another bump in the road.

Fifty was not claimed in her next start, a third-place finish in a claiming race at Presque Isle, but was claimed out of her subsequent race.

I then contacted her new owners, Long Shot Racing Stable, to get an update on her. With relief and joy, I found out that she was doing well and had in fact put on almost one hundred pounds since being claimed. It was comforting to be informed of this, as I had noticed while watching her most recent races that she had become quite thin. I knew she was in good hands and had again found connections I did not want her to be claimed from.

On November 20, 2011, Fifty ran in a claiming race at Charles Town (claiming price $10,000). Anxiously, I watched the race online, my eyes fixed on the beautiful chestnut. Much to my satisfaction, Fifty conquered the field by 5 ½ lengths. I was ecstatic that the filly had returned to the winner’s circle and became even more joyous when I learned that she had not been claimed and would remain with the Vrables of Long Shot Racing Stable.

About a month later, Fifty returned to the allowance level. I felt confident in her chances, as did the betting public. She loaded into the gate as the heavy favorite for the allowance race at Charles Town. With dread, I watched as she left the gate roughly and galloped in front of the grandstand unevenly after the start. She never got involved. I was extremely worried about the filly, but after contacting her owner, I was relieved to find out that the trouble had been caused by the jockey losing his irons. Fifty was fine. Near-disaster had been averted and I hoped it was her only encounter with such a situation for the rest of her career. But it wasn’t.

Miss Fifty’s Miracle

Four weeks after I shared Miss Fifty’s story with my blog readers, Fifty made her first start after her unlucky December outing. Like usual, I was perched before both my television and computer, watching television coverage and the live feed on Charles Town’s website. I had formed a prayer chain between my family, my friends, and myself, praying for Fifty to stay safe in the running of the race. It wasn’t much different than any other time she’d raced.

I fixed my eyes on Fifty as the horses raced down the backstretch, watching as she found a position behind the leaders along the rail, gaining ground on the inside as the field rounded the far turn. I was certain she was about to run a huge race.

Fifty
Photo by Terri Cage

Then everything changed. The horse on the lead suddenly broke down in Fifty’s path. I lost my breath and watched in horror as Fifty miraculously scrambled over the fallen horse as the other horses in the field fell like dominos. I was shaking uncontrollably as Fifty continued on under Oswald Pereira, crossing the finish line all alone. The remainder of the horses had either fallen or lost the jockey; she was the only horse to complete the race with a rider.

I was relieved that Fifty had not gone down, but I was still tremendously troubled. Had she received an injury from clambering over the fallen horses? Would a loose horse collide with her?

The latter fear nearly became reality in the gallop out. After pulling her up after crossing the finish line, Pereira guided Fifty to the outside rail with hopes of avoiding the riderless horses. However, one of the loose horses neared Fifty at full speed and with seconds to spare, managed to avoid colliding with her. My mother and I, watching the screen in dread, let out a giant sigh of relief.

I soon received word from Miss Fifty’s owner that the filly had suffered some cuts on her legs that required stitches, but would be okay. Miraculously, Fifty had avoided disaster. And that’s exactly what the incident had been for her: a miracle. She had every chance to go down or to be slammed into, but somehow, those things did not happen. God was watching over her.

What Fate Had in Store

Miss Fifty did not return to the races for nearly five months, contesting in a claiming race at Charles Town (claiming price $5,000). I was incredibly worried that the filly would be claimed, but with joy, I watched the chestnut dash to a 3 ½-length victory, exiting the race without having been claimed.

About two months later, Fifty recorded a bullet work at Charles Town. However, days after that work, my iPhone indicated that I had a Facebook message from her owner. I immediately thought of the worst possibility when I read the opening words of the message that my phone previewed: “Sorry to have to tell you this, but…”

But I was relieved not to find the words I dreaded. Rather, I learned that Fifty had broken a sesamoid while training. What mattered most was that she would be okay. She would, but her racing career was over and she would require lengthy stall rest. However, along with this bad news came terrific news: it was now time for Fifty to become a part of my family, something I had dreamed of since I met the filly.

Thanks to Nate Vrable of Long Shot Racing Stable and the help of Woodson Show Horses, arrangements were made for Fifty to make the more than 1,200-mile journey to be with me. As her arrival approached, I found myself daydreaming of being reunited with her as my enthusiasm grew more intense by the hour. 

The day Fifty arrived in Texas was the same day I arrived in Southern California for the 2012 Breeders’ Cup. Though I would have loved to be there when Fifty reached my home, the filly would be an incredible thing to come home to. As soon as the thrilling Breeders’ Cup culminated, I focused on returning to Fifty, to my horse.

The moment I arrived at home, I dashed to the barn to greet her. And there she was. Miss Fifty was in my barn. She was mine. I opened her stall door, my hands tenderly stroking her face as my eyes locked on hers. Her kind eyes gazed at me as she gently rubbed her lip against my hands. All I could think was, “Who’d have known…?”

I never could have known when I wrote down hip fifty in my journal of horses to watch at a nearby Fasig-Tipton sale in 2010 that it would lead to such an incredible journey. Each time I see my beloved Fifty, I know that if I had never had the courage to write Dolphus Morrison, I never would have essentially experienced what it felt like to own a racehorse while I was so young. I never would have led a horse onto the track at Churchill Downs as a young fan or come within inches of the great Zenyatta. And most of all, I know God has blessed me with a tremendous filly that will always be an important part of my life. 

Miss Fifty and me
Photo by Terri Cage

Miss Fifty's Miracle

If you have not read The Story of Miss Fifty, please read it before reading this story.

There were just minutes to post until Miss Fifty’s sixteenth race. Like usual, I was perched before both my television and computer, watching TVG’s coverage and the live feed on Charles Town’s website. I had formed a prayer chain between my family, my friends, and me, praying for Fifty to stay safe in the running of the race. It wasn’t much different than any other time she’d raced.

Miss Fifty with me at Churchill Downs
Photo: Terri Cage

There were some differences, however. For one, Fifty was returning to the allowance level. She had raced at that level in her most recent start, but the jockey had lost the irons at the start and she had run up on the heels of other horses. She had finished last, but it was not because of a lack of talent. I was eager to see how she would compete at the higher level and hoped that she would have a fairer chance this time around. 

The main difference was the one that worried me the most: the track was extremely sloppy. Fifty had never raced over a sloppy track before. I was sure she could handle it, but I was worried nonetheless.

From the start of the race, things were not completely okay. The horse that broke from the rail, Ideal Thoughts, stumbled out of the gate and caused the jockey to lose his irons, though he regained his seat. I fixed my eyes on Fifty as the horses raced down the backstretch. She found a position behind the leaders along the rail and was gaining ground on the inside as the field rounded the far turn. I was certain she was about to run a huge race.

Then everything changed. The horse on the lead, Sharp Beauty, suddenly broke down in Fifty’s path. I lost my breath and watched in horror as Fifty miraculously scrambled over the fallen horse as the other horses in the field fell like dominos. I was shaking uncontrollably as Fifty continued on under Oswald Pereira, crossing the finish line all alone. The remainder of the horses had either fallen or lost the jockey.

I was relieved that Fifty had not gone down, but I was still extremely worried. I was concerned that she had received an injury from clambering over the fallen horses and was also afraid that a loose horse would collide with her.

The latter fear nearly became reality in the gallop out. After pulling her up after crossing the finish line, Oswald Pereira guided Fifty to the outside rail with hopes of avoiding the riderless horses. However, one of the loose horses neared Fifty at full speed and with seconds to spare, managed to avoid colliding with her. My mother and I, watching the television screen in dread, let out a giant sigh of relief.

I soon received word from Miss Fifty’s owner that the filly had received some cuts on her legs that required stitches, but would be okay. Miraculously, Fifty had avoided disaster. And that’s exactly what the incident had been for her: a miracle. She had every chance to go down or to be slammed into, but somehow, those things did not happen. God was watching over her.

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers! Please continue to pray for Fifty to heal. Also, please pray for the others involved. Rest in peace, Sharp Beauty.


Also, thank you, Mr. Vrable, for updating me on Miss Fifty, not just in this situation but ever since I first contacted you about her. And thank you, Oswald, for taking such good care of her doing this horrific race!

To read the official news release, please click here.


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The Story of Miss Fifty

Please read the updated version of this story here.

Miss Fifty, a four-year-old chestnut filly by Johannesburg and out of a Coronado’s Quest mare, Copa de Oro, may not have lived up to expectations on the track (at least not yet), but she is still part of an incredible story.

She was bred by Jerry and Ann Moss of Zenyatta fame and was born in Kentucky on April 18, 2008. As a yearling, she was sold for just $10,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. As a two-year-old, she was consigned by Pike Racing in the Fasig-Tipton Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale as hip number fifty.

After recording a time of ten seconds and two-fifths for an eighth of a mile, the filly was returned to her stall in barn E4 on Lone Star Park’s backside. Later that day, my parents and I visited the barn area to look at the sale horses.

Leading up to the sale, I had studied the catalogue, writing down horses I was impressed with off of pedigree. Hip number fifty was one of them. I was even more impressed by the filly after watching her work on the track. She moved with a beautiful, flowing stride, highlighted by a flat knee that allowed her to cover much ground. The daughter of Johannesburg was one of the many horses I visited on the backside with my parents.

Photo: Terri Cage

But no other two-year-old caught my attention more than hip number fifty. The chestnut filly captivated me with her sweet personality, acting like a puppy. When I ambled up to her stall, the daughter of Johannesburg eagerly walked up to me, nuzzling at me. I gently rubbed her face and she allowed me to hold her dainty head in my arms. I stayed there for several moments, just cradling her head. As I walked away from the filly, I caught the two-year-old staring at me as if she didn’t want me to leave. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave either. I wished I could somehow garner thousands of dollars so I could purchase the affectionate filly for myself.

Needless to say, I couldn’t get my mind off the filly, whom I had nicknamed Fifty because of her hip number. I anxiously awaited the results of the sale, finding out that the daughter of Johannesburg had sold for $40,000 to Dolphus Morrison, breeder and former owner of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. She was the fifteenth highest-priced horse in the sale.

I decided to find Dolphus Morrison’s address and once I did, I wrote a letter to him, explaining how much I loved the filly by Johannesburg he had just purchased. I told him what I had nicknamed the filly and that I would always be the filly’s biggest fan. For days, I awaited a reply and constantly checked online to see if the filly had been officially named.

Not long before I received a reply from Mr. Morrison, I looked up the filly online and found that she had been named Miss Fifty. I was blown away and left wondering if Mr. Morrison had named the filly Miss Fifty because of my letter. My thoughts were confirmed when I received a letter from Mr. Morrison, in which he told me he had in fact named her Miss Fifty since I called the filly Fifty.

After being trained at Diamond D Ranch, Miss Fifty was sent to Mr. Morrison’s go-to trainer, Lon Wiggins, son of Hal Wiggins, who trained Rachel Alexandra up until her impressive Kentucky Oaks (GI) victory. Miss Fifty made her first start in October 2010 at Keeneland Racecourse. Just when it seemed as if she and Calvin Borel would open up on the field, the highly-touted and now grade two-winning Dancinginherdreams, swept by her, followed by four more horses. Miss Fifty finished a decent fifth out of twelve two-year-old fillies.

In her next start, a six-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on Halloween, Miss Fifty was never really a factor and finished last in a field of eleven.

Photo: Terri Cage

I contacted Mr. Morrison for the third time and told him that my family and I were visiting Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup. Mr. Morrison and Lon Wiggins arranged for me to visit Miss Fifty at Churchill Downs on Breeders’ Cup weekend. On Friday morning of the Breeders’ Cup, my sister, my mom, and I visited Mr. Wiggins’ barn.

Mr. Wiggins led me to Fifty’s stall, allowing me to duck under the stall guard to visit the filly. I did so, cautiously walking up to her. Would she remember me?

Fifty turned her head when she heard me approaching, pricking her ears and tossing her nose in my direction. I smiled, stepping forward and allowing her to sniff my hand. I then stroked her face, telling her how much I’d missed her. I’d never dreamed I’d get to visit the filly. Yet, there I was, over seven months after I had met the filly, pampering her on the backside of Churchill Downs during Breeders’ Cup week. It was absolutely surreal.

After watching Fifty’s stablemate, Fleeter, gallop over the track, it was time for the filly I loved so much to head out to the track. I thought I would just go watch, as I did with Fleeter, but Mr. Wiggins handed me the lead and showed me the way to the gap. I was actually leading Fifty toward the track. And it wasn’t just any track; it was Churchill Downs.

I thought I was dreaming as I led Miss Fifty onto the dirt surface. Across the expansive track, the Twin Spires smiled back at me as classy horses galloped and jogged past on the renowned track. I unclipped the lead from the filly’s bridle and Mr. Wiggins allowed me to stand alongside the filly on the track. I did so, stroking her silky neck and shoulder as she stared inquisitively at the other horses galloping by.

Fifty then headed off for her gallop and I stood at the gap, watching Breeders’ Cup horses as I waited for her to come around. Then I spotted the exquisite chestnut galloping and my eyes locked on her, watching her gallop past me. It was a beautiful sight and one that will forever be engraved in my mind. Her breath came in snorts that were in sync with her stride, her hoofs beat over the dirt, and her ears were pricked eagerly as she galloped past.

Photo: Terri Cage

After Fifty was cooled out, we did a short photo-shoot with the filly and me. While the grade one-winning Paddy O’ Prado received a bath just a few feet away, I stood alongside Fifty outside of Mr. Wiggins’ barn, smiling into my mom’s camera. Usually my smiles in photo-shoots are quite fake, but that morning, there was no wiping the smile off my face.

That wasn’t the end of the morning. Mr. Wiggins led us to the other side of the backside to catch a glimpse of the great Zenyatta, my favorite racehorse of all-time. It was my first time to ever see the incredible mare and I stood breathless as I watched her walk onto the track before galloping in preparation for her final race. That wonderful morning provided me with the greatest day yet of my life and I will forever be grateful to Mr. Morrison and Mr. Wiggins.

About three weeks later, Miss Fifty was entered in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, this time against males. Miss Fifty finished eleventh in a field of twelve. The winner was the future 2011 Preakness Stakes (GI) winner, Shackleford.

Mr. Wiggins then shipped his horses to Tampa Bay Downs. Miss Fifty made her final start as a two-year-old on the day after Christmas, dropping into the claiming ranks for the first time. I was extremely worried that the beloved filly would get claimed. Before leaving to go to a family Christmas celebration, I watched the race anxiously, my eyes glued to the television. I knew she would likely do well, but my main worry was that she would be claimed.

In the first race on Cotillion Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs, Miss Fifty broke quickly and went to the lead in a maiden claiming $25,000. She never looked back from there and went on to win by a remarkable seven and three-quarters lengths. The entire time, I was bouncing up and down with excitement. Fifty had just broken her maiden and she couldn’t have done it more stylishly.

However, the excitement began to wear off. Had she been claimed? The question rang in my head for what seemed like eternity until I received an Equibase result notification in my email. I anxiously opened the email, reading the chart to find out the answer to the question. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I read that she had not been claimed.

In January, her connections tried her in a stakes race, the Gasparilla Stakes. Miss Fifty faded to finish last in a field of eight, losing to the future grade three-winning Devilish Lady.

Miss Fifty took two months off, returning in a five-furlong allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs. She finished a gutsy third that made me very proud of her. Prior to the race, TVG analysts had called her a ‘stopper.’ I understood why they had given her that label, but I was hoping that she would prove them wrong. She may not have won, but she definitely did not stop trying.

In April, she ran in a six and one-half-furlong starter allowance at Keeneland as the favorite. It looked like she had the win in the homestretch, but she faltered in the final yards to finish last in a field of six, though only beaten by less than four and a half lengths.

Three and a half weeks later, Miss Fifty returned to Churchill Downs in an allowance race, trying the turf for the first time. She never seemed to take to the new surface, finishing last in a field of eleven.

About a month later, Miss Fifty revisited the claiming ranks. Again, I became worried that she would be claimed. I wanted her to stay with the connections she had. In the five and one-half-furlong $15,000 claiming race, Fifty finished a good second. She seemed to have found the right level for her. Fortunately, she had not been claimed.

Three days later, I competed in one of my biggest horse shows of the year. After returning home that evening, I spent some peaceful moments outside my barn with my newly-crowned District Grand Champion Mare, Pebbles (a Quarter Horse registered under the name Sheza Cool Casmire). As the sun grew closer to the horizon, I leaned my head against my beloved mare’s light gray shoulder, enjoying the peaceful moment.

A few minutes later, that peace would be shattered. I came inside to learn that the backside of Churchill Downs had been hit by a tornado. My thoughts immediately jumped to Fifty and the Wiggins family. Frantically, I searched for news, praying that I would not find their names on a list of casualties or injuries. When I found out that no one had been hurt, it felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of relief on me.

Photo: Terri Cage

A little over a week after the tornado, Miss Fifty was entered in a six-furlong $10,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs. She was sent off as the second choice and hooked up at the top of the lane with the favorite, Intimidating Woman, a multiple stakes-placed filly. However, Miss Fifty found another gear and went on to win the race by an easy four and one-quarter lengths under Calvin Borel.

I, like usual, had watched the race live. I was ecstatic that Fifty had won. I’d had a gut feeling that she would win, but I also had had a gut feeling she would be claimed. Both gut feelings were confirmed.

Since Miss Fifty was in my Equibase Virtual Stable ©, I was able to find out who Fifty had been claimed by. I wrote Mr. Morrison, thanking him for the entire experience. I knew my experience of sharing the filly’s career with him was over, but I was not going to allow my experience with Fifty to end.

For several weeks, I grew more and more worried about Miss Fifty. I hadn’t received any workout or entry notifications through my Equibase Virtual Stable ©. I finally decided to send Miss Fifty’s new trainer a letter, explaining what the three-year-old filly meant to me and how I knew her. Just days later, the trainer sent me an email, telling me to call him.

I did. He informed me that the filly had hurt her eye but should be all right. He also told me that he had enough horses and once they were done with Miss Fifty, I could have her. I was ecstatic.

Then Fifty was entered in a race – a claiming race. She finished second in the $7,500 claiming race at Presque Isle Downs and after the race had been run, I was devastated to find out that she had been claimed. I wasn’t going to give up on following her, however. She meant too much to me to do that.

Miss Fifty was not claimed in her next start, a third-place finish in a claiming race at Presque Isle. However, next out, Fifty finished third and was claimed.

I then contacted her new owners to get an update on her. I was thrilled to find out that she was doing well. In fact, she had put on almost one hundred pounds since being claimed. It was a relief to find this out, as I had noticed while watching her recent races that she had become quite thin. She seems to be in good hands now, which is very important to me. All I want is for her to be happy and healthy.

I added her owner as a friend on Facebook to get updates more quickly on her. He has generously given me updates on Fifty and answered any questions I have about her.

On November 20, 2011, Fifty ran in a $10,000 claiming race at Charles Town. Her owner had informed me that it was a lower-priced tag than he wanted, but they were using the four and one-half-furlong race as a prep race to stretch her out in higher class races soon. He told me he didn’t want her to be claimed. I couldn’t agree more.

Photo: Terri Cage

Anxiously, I watched the race online, my eyes fixed on the beautiful chestnut. Her owner was right. She’d put on a lot of weight, in addition to having more defined muscle tone. She looked incredible and was most definitely the best-looking horse in the field, even without my bias towards her.

Much to my satisfaction, Fifty crushed the field by five and one-half lengths. I was ecstatic and grew even happier when I learned that she had not been claimed and would remain with Long Shot Racing Stable, LLC.

About a month later, Fifty returned to the allowance level. I felt confident in her chances, as did the betting public. She loaded into the gate as the heavy favorite for the six and one-half-furlong event at Charles Town. With dread, I watched as she left the gate roughly and galloped in front of the grandstand unevenly after the start. She never got involved. I was extremely worried about the filly, but after contacting her owner via Facebook, I was relieved to find out that the trouble had been caused by the jockey losing his irons. Fifty was fine.

She is currently doing extremely well and her connections are searching for the right race for her. Watching her race is very nerve-wracking for me, but I love it nonetheless and am looking forward to seeing her race again.

I never could have known when I wrote down hip number fifty in my journal of horses to watch at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale that it would lead to an incredible journey. Someday I will watch the exquisite chestnut filly win again, knowing that if I had never had the courage to write Dolphus Morrison, I never would have experienced practically what it felt like to own a racehorse while I was so young. I never would have led a horse onto the track at Churchill Downs as a young fan or come within two feet of the great Zenyatta. And most of all, I know God has blessed me with a tremendous filly that will always be an important part of my life. It's been a rollercoaster ride without a doubt, but I would not trade it for anything. It’s a journey I’ll never forget and I have many people to thank, including Mr. Morrison, Mr. Wiggins, Mr. Vrable, my parents, my best friend, and everyone else who has been a part of my journey with Miss Fifty.

And also, thank you to my fans and readers! I enjoy reading your comments so much and I truly appreciate all of your support. I wouldn't have 100 blog posts without all of you. Again, thank you!

*Miss Fifty was the only horse to not go down or lose the rider in the eighth race at Charles Town on 2/29/12, twenty-six days after this blog post was published. She received some cuts that required stitches, but is okay. To read more, please click here.

Photo: Terri Cage

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