AGE: April 2, 2012

BREEDING: Bullsbay - Lady Winner, by Accelerator

RACING STATS: 27 Starts: 1 First, 0 Seconds, 1 Thirds. Won $30,662

SEX: Mare

HEIGHT: 16.2 hh

ABOUT: She Be Sassy came to Akindale in 2019 through the Beyond the Wire program after retiring sound from her racing career. With 27 starts under her belt, we were hopeful this pretty mare would have a successful second career beyond the racetrack.

After enjoying a couple of months off to relax and adjust to retirement, Sassy traveled to South Carolina to one of our satellite farms at the time, where she began her retraining. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as planned. During her training, she became significantly lame on her right front leg, prompting us to bring her back to New York for further evaluation.

After additional veterinary examinations and radiographs, we discovered that Sassy had bone chips in three of her ankles. Given the extent of the findings, we opted not to radiograph the fourth ankle, as surgery was not considered a practical option with so many joints affected.

Although we had hoped to see Sassy transition into a riding career, her comfort and long-term well-being were far more important. We made the decision to permanently retire her to our sanctuary, where she could enjoy life without the physical demands of being ridden.

Today, She Be Sassy enjoys her days out in the fields with her herd, living the peaceful retirement she deserves. Her story is a reminder that even horses who retire sound from racing can have underlying issues that only become apparent once they begin their next chapter. While her second career didn't turn out as we originally hoped, we're happy to give Sassy a forever home where she can simply enjoy being a horse.