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Linda Earley, Speedhorse
The journey of Grade 1 winner Fabulous Rachel is one that
transcends the ordinary bounds of equine exploits. In a sport that is often shaped by speed and talent, Fabulous Rachel, winner of the Juno’s Request Stakes-G1 in June, can add determination to that list of traits, having overcome a harrowing brush with fate in her formative years to defy the odds and
soar to the highest echelons of racing. Owned by Dan Darling’s Darling Farms, Fabulous Rachel endured a collision with a pipe fence in October of her weanling year. When Barry and Becky Kincaid, the longtime managers of Darling Farms, reached her in the morning, the couple feared the worst as they transported her to Oak Ridge Equine Clinic about 1 1⁄2 hours away from the farm. It was not the filly’s first trip to the clinic as she had also suffered a leg injury prior to her
run-in with a fence.
Under the care of Dr. Jeff Brakenhoff at Oak
Ridge and Dr. Jennifer Kristek, Fabulous Rachel miraculously demonstrated an unwavering determination to live.
“Of course, we don’t know exactly what happened that night,” shared Becky, “but she ran into a pipe fence. Basically, when we got out to the barn that morning, she had a hole in her head between her nostril and her eye. Our initial reaction was that we would have to put her down.
When we went out there and first saw her, we thought there probably is not anything we can do for her. She came up to eat and was eating and
everything. Obviously, we couldn’t put a halter on her, and we were able to get her to a place to get into the trailer. She had been to Oak Ridge
a month before because she hurt her leg, so she had been hauled before and been to the clinic before. She had a good attitude. She knew we
were trying to help her.”
Dr. Kristek was the first veterinarian to
receive Fabulous Rachel following the injury. “I saw her initially,” Dr. Kristek said. “The entire inside of her nose and sinuses were exposed. Because it was a fresh injury, and based on her pedigree, and honestly, her temperament, Dan decided that he wanted to try and save her. We did the initial surgery then, and none of us expected it to be a six to eight-month ordeal. The whole time she was with us, she was so kind. There aren’t many young horses that can handle as much
as we put her through.”
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