“Anyone involved in horse racing can come up with a list of horses that have impacted their lives. For me, the first horse that comes to mind is a mare by the name of Gin Queen (Bold Executive out of Rich Mist). "Ginny" as we called her, was claimed in October 2010 by a partnership made up of my stepmother Cheryl Green and trainer Anthony (Tony) Polsinello. She was the only horse our family owned at the time, and would be one of the first horses that I looked after as a newly graduated veterinarian. She taught me a lot, not only with respect to racehorse health, but she also gave me an appreciation of the athleticism of thoroughbreds and what they are capable of. Although I was her veterinarian, I always used to say that she did more for me than I did for her because of all that I learned from her.
One of my favourite memories was when we would all go and watch Ginny during her morning works at Woodbine. My dad, Cheryl, Tony and I would all meet at the rail and watch her go. She loved to train. On her race days, it was a whole-day event. The grandparents, the aunts and uncles, the cousins, the kids - everyone from the family would come out to watch. I would go by the barn as she was getting ready for the race with Tony, go over to the front side to watch her run, and then would go back to the barn afterward to see how she cooled out. And when she won, that was the ultimate peak. There is something to be said about watching a horse mature and develop over time, knowing that you were a part of the team that helped get them there.
When I think of Ginny, I remember how she would squish you to the side of the wall with her hind end when you went in to the stall. It was like she was always telling you who was boss. She had attitude, which gave her character. I had worked with racehorses before becoming a veterinarian, but working with Ginny was different. She retired as a riding horse a few years ago, but we will always remember the sassy mare as being part of the family.”
By Jessica Peatling (DVM), for Ontario Horse Racing
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