At Wasabi Ventures Stables, we like to think of ourselves as a tight-knit community. Recently, we learned that this thinking is true.
Sadly, on Saturday, June 29th, there was a spill at Laurel Park. One of the involved horses was our own Detroit Cowboy. Although DC was fine, the jockey riding him, Felix E. Pinero, was not. Unsure of the severity and nature of his injuries, he was airlifted to shock trauma. At the hospital it was determined that he had a broken femur, which required surgery; he also had a number of lacerations and abrasions. He was released from the hospital within a couple of days.
Not long after witnessing this injury, we had club members asking what could be done to help Felix. Unlike other careers, there’s no way to work while injured. With some coordination between WVS admin and our trainer, we were able to find out what Felix and his family would need and how to get that delivered to him.
On Monday, July 1st, we began accepting donations for Felix. Our initial goal had been a small amount of money, enough to purchase groceries for a week or two. What we collected was far more than that. By the end of two weeks, we had raised far more than we had originally estimated.
Throughout this fundraising period, our club members have been amazing. Whether they were co-owners of this horse or not, members made donations to help our fallen jockey. Many others sent words of hope and kindness to Felix.
What was an unfortunate incident also became a time of caring, compassion, and generosity. We formed WV Stables to bring the joy of racehorse ownership to many. In turn, this group of many has become a community, who truly are invested in the people and animals who partake in horse racing.
Thank you to all the wonderful members of WV Stables who have made this club into a family!