03/27/2024
Bold and Bossy 💜
The brave Bold and Bossy.
OF photo.
Those who follow racing love a good Cinderella story. You know the ones, where the scrappy outsider becomes a Champion. Sometimes, those stories manifest into Seabiscuit or our Lava Man. Sometimes, our Cinderella loses more than just a shoe on the way to her place at the ball. In this case, this is Bold and Bossy. Little Runaway, barn fire escapee, burn patient, survivor, retiree.
News outlets and social media took notice when a petite young filly, a daughter of Strong Mandate and out of Happybirthdaybaby decided that it was too hot and humid one August day to bother with running any old race at Ellis Park and so like any strong willed young lady, she thought better of it, tossed off her jockey like and decided to exit track left and head for the highway. Long time track veterans swear they'd never seen the like, but Bossy went her own way, heading into traffic, shocking motorists who thank goodness, gave her the right away and leading a not-so merry chase. In the end, with the loss of two slippers and a minor foot injury, the 30 good Samaritans, including a local sheriff's Deputy managed to bring our wayward heroine to a pause. Bossy could not be reached for comment at the time, but I believe she might have said, blinkers be damned and I'll show you a flight animal.
After I would imagine was a lot of "nothing to see heres" Bossy was returned to her stall at Ellis Park. A collective sigh was likely hears on both sides of the Ohio River. Let's all get some sleep and start over in the morning...
And so life happened as everyone made plans that night. Bossy's barn went up in flames. Out of the chaos, thankfully, all of the horses survived. And "only" one suffered burns. Who but our plucky heroine, Bold and Bossy.
It was a long recovery. Her burns were serious. But youth and spirit were on her side. She healed although the scars remained and it was decided she should try.
This is not unheard of. Horses have come back from barn fires and burn injuries, bloodied yet unbowed, they lived to compete another day. So, Bossy ran again, at Belterra. And she finished third, a more than respectable return. No drama this time, just an earnest attempt to do what Thoroughbreds are bred to do. Not ready to stop, on another one of those hot August days, Bold and Bossy looked out of the gate at Thistledown, put her head down and ran the race of her young, eventful life, breaking her maiden with a one length victory.
She placed once more in Allowance company but returned in 2023 with three out of the money finishes. Not wanting to push her further, she was retired.
Her trainer, Michael Ann Ewing had a puzzle on her hands. Although she recovered well enough to try her hooves at running again, the experiences did not leave her unscathed. Michael Ann thought there must be another way for her charge and so she sat down and wrote to another Michael, one who might find a away to help.
(Source: Bloodhorse, July 2023)
"She deserves a forever home," wrote Michael Ann Ewing when she contacted Old Friends. "I don't think she can stand up to the rigors of racing mentally and would run at a lower level. I'm not sure that her scarred back would hold up for someone who might want to ride her for a couple hours, so I have not sought out a retirement placing as a future show or just riding horse. She is pretty well known and in the year that followed what she went through; people would just call to stop by and see her. She gained a lot of interest on Facebook at the time with quite a few followers."
Happily, our Cinderella found her place at Old Friends. Today, as Joyce and I visited the farm, we headed over to see Bossy and her pasture mate, the dowager gray, Moriah. Bold and Bossy bears the scars of a burn patient. Her wounds have healed but there are uncomfortable looking patches of her coat that will not return. In the hot summer months, she is dressed in a light sheet to protect her damaged skin from the sun's rays. She is a petite mare, nimble and sometimes shy as a doe. Bossy remains aware and watchful. She is curious but proceeds with caution until she feels she can relax and be friendly. I think to myself, dear Bossy. It was all a little much, sweet miss.
Today it was dinner time when we visited. In addition to good quality hay and fresh spring grass, the horses enjoy feed twice a day. Bossy was working on her supper when we arrived. She stopped to greet us and Joyce spoke kindly to her and tossed a few carrots in her bucket. Bossy danced along the fence for a few moments more interested in attention. In a sweet moment, Joyce, the den mother realized her carrots had gone unnoticed in the feed tub. She said, Bossy, you haven't gotten your carrots yet...and fished them out to hand feed her, quickly accepted. It reminded me of a mother and a daughter. And of how young Bossy is in years. But also, how that, at age 6, she's lived a score of lives and has the scars to show for it. And, in spite of all that, she's here and she's beautiful. Bless you, Bossy.
