Shelley Blodgett

His name is Immortal Wink (Gimmeawink) and after a career that spanned nine years and 142 races, most of them in Puerto Rico, he was done. He was 10 and had suffered through the kind of wear and tear that is typical with horses who run so often, last so long and wind up at the bottom tier of the sport. He would never go on to a second career, at least one that is typical for a retired Thoroughbred. He just wouldn't be able to do it. But there...

I am Shelley Blodgett, co-founder of Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare Inc. (CTA), a non-profit (501c3) that helps Thoroughbreds racing in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. I live on the U.S. mainland and have also worked here to help Thoroughbreds and other horse breeds in need. I wrote a letter to the editor published in TDN in September, 2017, asking for help following Hurricane Maria's devastation of Puerto Rico and its racetrack, Hipodromo Camarero. The response was swift and impactful. So many individuals and industry entities were moved to help,...