14-year-old mare Missing Sefa retired

Against her better judgment, and with considerable regret, owner-trainer Jamie Grubbs has decided to retire Missing Sefa after being subjected to unfavorable comments on social media for keeping the 14-year-old mare in training.

“A lot of people had positive things to say about her,” said Grubbs, “but with Facebook and Twitter and even people texting me … I can’t take all the negativity. I guess I’m just not thick-skinned enough.”

Missing Sefa was beaten 20 lengths in her career finale on Dec. 6 at Turfway, finishing sixth of seven. Until then, the mare maintained respectable form throughout a 112-race career in which she recorded 28 wins, 20 seconds, and 19 thirds for earnings of $352,539. Grubbs, a licensed trainer since 1992, claimed her as a 2-year-old on Dec. 3, 2004.

“My horses are like my children,” said Grubbs, a mother of a 23-year-old son. “I really didn’t want her to go out this way, but that’s life sometimes. She’s sound and happy, and if it weren’t for all the backlash I’ve gotten, she would run again because it’s what she lives for. She’ll stick around here at the barn with us until I figure out what to do with her.”