This Week in Horse History - February 8th Through February 14th

^{This Week in Horse History - February 8th Through February 14th}

February 8^th, 1983 – Thoroughbred racehorse Shergar was stolen from his home in County Kildare, Ireland. Shergar was worth $13.5 million. Shergar was a five-year old champion Irish racehorse. Thieves forced Shergar’s groom James Fitzpatrick to load him onto a trailer. They demanded a ransom of $2 million for the stallion whose stud fees were around $100,000 a piece. No ransom was paid and Shergar was never returned. No one was ever convicted for stealing the horse, though one popular theory was that the Irish Republican Army stole Shergar as a way of raising money for weapons.

Information courtesy of: This Day in History

Photo courtesy of: Shergar and a 25-year-old mystery

February 9^th, 1940 – Seabiscuit returned to racing after a year’s absence due to injury. Seabiscuit damaged the suspensory ligament in his left front leg during the running of the Santa Anita Handicap in 1939. His jockey Red Pollard had recently broken his own leg in a riding accident, and together he and Seabiscuit recovered and both learned to walk again over the fall and winter. Seabiscuit returned to racing in the La Jolla Handicap at Santa Anita on February 9, 1940 with jockey Red Pollard aboard. He placed third, but would go on to win the third race after coming back from the injury. Seabiscuit was retired on April 10^th and was put out to stud at Ridgewood Ranch in California.

Information courtesy of: Seabiscuit

Photo courtesy of: Seabiscuit 1938 Horse of the Year

February 14^th, 1985 – Champion Thoroughbred Winning Colors was born. The racehorse was one of only three mares to win the Kentucky Derby. She earned $1,526,837 during her racing career and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. Winning Colors was sold to Gainesway Bloodstock Services for $4.1 million and would go on to have ten foals. She was euthanized on February 17, 2008 after suffering complications from colic.