Bold and Bossy suffers no serious injuries after highway run at Ellis Park
Trainer Michael Ewing was breathing a profound sigh of relief Saturday as Bold and Bossy, the 2-year-old filly who galloped down a highway near Ellis Park, was back safe in her stall and free of significant injuries. Ewing also expressed profound gratitude for all in the racing community who came to the assistance of Bold and Bossy.
“The good news is she’s fine,” said Ewing, who also owns Bold and Bossy. “What a disaster it could have been. By the grace of God she wasn’t hit. I hear she was almost hit, and thank God she wasn’t hit.”
Ewing said she also was relieved Bold and Bossy was not the cause of any injuries on the highway.
Bold and Bossy, who was to have made her career debut in the first race Saturday at Ellis, dropped her rider in the post parade. She proceeded to jump a fence, run around the levee that surrounds the racetrack, and went out on Highway 41, according to Barbara Borden, a steward presiding at Ellis Park.
Ewing said Bold and Bossy was recovered about six miles from Ellis. She was caught by trainers Wes Hawley and Jack Hancock. Bold and Bossy had shipped in for the race in from Lexington, Ky.
Ewing said the filly lost a couple of shoes while loose and grabbed a quarter. She also said she was dehydrated and tied up following the incident. Bold and Bossy was treated with fluids and was resting later Saturday at Ellis. Ewing expects the filly will be experiencing some body soreness after running on the pavement of the highway.
“Physically, she’s going to be fine,” Ewing said Saturday. “We’ll get her home and check out everything. We’ll give her some time on the farm.”
Ewing said the time also will serve the purpose of helping Bold and Bossy recover from the mental trauma of the situation. The time off will be at the farm of her regular veterinarian.
“She’s good-minded,” Ewing said. “She’s a little funny about sound. She doesn’t really like the ear plugs, so we have a hood with the ear muffs on her. She’s a strong filly, trains really forwardly.
“We’ll be happy to have her home. She’s a sweet filly.”
Ewing said she is so grateful for all of the assistance of the racing community, with “everyone jumping in their trucks,” and helping in the recovery effort. She’s also received many kind messages from folks checking on the health of the filly.
“Everybody rallies around each other [in racing], which is really great,” Ewing said.
Ewing, who in the past was based in California, remembers a horse once getting loose from Golden Gate Fields and going near the bay, and another horse at Hollywood Park making his way to The Forum.
“The horse got out and ran through traffic in the morning,” she said. “It’s so dangerous.”
Ewing said now that she knows all will be okay with Bold and Sassy, she was able to lighten the mood a little Saturday.
“We’ll get her rehabbed mentally and physically,” Ewing said. “It would be a great story if she comes back and wins her next race, first time out.
“But clearly, she likes to run.”