Page 63 - August_2023

FABULOUS RACHEL’S INJURY AT VARIOUS POINTS IN THE HEALING PROCESS:
Courtesy Becky Kincaid
Courtesy Becky Kincaid
Fabulous Rachel clocks the fastest time in
the Oct. 30, 2022, Mystery Derby Trial at
Will Rogers Downs.
Coady Photography
She became a stakes winner a few months later, taking the Gillespie County Fair Derby by three-quarters of a length.
“She didn’t do much in her two-year- old year. She had some problems with
drive or we never would have gotten through all of it. This is not a common thing that we see, and Dan gave us a chance to try and save her when a lot
her feet and stuff like that,” Becky said. “We brought her home that fall of her two-year-old season, and when we sent her back for her three-year-old season, we were hoping she could win a race, or maybe even just place or show, so we could get a speed index on her. She decided she liked to run.”
Much to the delight of everyone connected to her, Fabulous Rachel, in June of this year, continued to add to her remarkable story, winning the Juno’s Request Stakes-G1 at Remington Park.
“Every time she enters a race, I send out a text to everyone and let them know that ‘Rachel’ is running,” said Dr. Kristek. “A lot of people who work at Oak Ridge were at the races that day, so everyone got to celebrate. That was really special.
“The one thing that really sticks out to me about her is that she never once got mean,” Dr. Kristek added. “She was always excited to see you at the front
of the stall. She was so kind through everything, and you just don’t see that very often, especially at that age. She values the human-animal relationship, and she knew we were trying to help her. She had to have had that type of
of people would not have had that type of dedication to her. He recognized how special she was. She is a patient that none of us will ever forget.”
Remarkably, Fabulous Rachel is now a winner in half of her eight lifetime starts and has earned $139,564 for Darling Farms.
“That little mare has a lot
of heart,” said Becky. “She’s a winner. I always told Dan, ‘I just want her to win a race, one race.’ This is a story that you make movies about. She has shown that she has heart and wants to win. She’s just a winner.
“You would think her breathing would be impacted, but it hasn’t,”
Becky continued. “We’ve had her
scoped multiple times, and when we brought her home, they said that the airway is perfect. Now, you can hear her breathe, but as for when you run a scope, there is no blockage, nothing like that. It’s just a miracle. She should not have been able to do all of this like she has. She should not have. I’m very thankful she has. She is our miracle horse.”
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