Mishaps and setbacks led to the show ring
A gifted Thoroughbred warhorse hobbled by luck so bad he once tore off part of his hoof during a flight from Germany to California — a terrifying accident that ended his Breeders’ Cup aspirations and foreshadowed many close calls to come — eventually ended up rescued from an auction at age 16, and headed to, of all places, the dressage ring. First Service, a German-bred bay gelding with speed and promise, was traveling to California in 1999 when he spooked in the aircraft he was riding in. Rearing up, the horse known by his nickname Prince, threw a fit, and […]
Share this:
Stakes winner Flick euthanized at Old Friends
GEORGETOWN, Ky.—Stakes winner Flick has died. The 24-year-old gelding, who resided at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, was euthanized Friday morning due to complications from colic. Michael Blowen, founder and president of Old Friends, made the announcement Jan. 8. Bred in England by Side Hill Stud, Flick (Kris (GB) – Thakhayr (IRE), Sadler’s Wells) had three starts in England before coming to the U.S. near the end of his 2-year-old season. He made his first start for new owner Judith Carmel at Hollywood Park, placing 5th. Flick continued beating good horses at major West Coast tracks […]
Share this:
Blinded painting horse is ‘out of the woods’
Metro Meteor, the famous painting Thoroughbred struck by sudden-onset blindness last month, is well on his way to recovery. Metro’s owner Ron Krajewski reports that the 13-year-old off-track Thoroughbred has steadily improved since the animal lost vision in both eyes; life is returning to normal for Metro and his human family. “He’s getting around pretty well now, and if I didn’t know he had eyesight problems, I couldn’t tell there was anything wrong,” Krajewski says, noting that Metro was turned out with his pasture buddies this week. “I think he’s out of the woods,” Krajewski adds with audible relief in his […]
