A filly escaped from Ellis Park Race Course and ran along U.S. 41 for 30 minutes before being apprehended Saturday.
The filly, named Bold and Bossy, bucked free of her jockey and ran off the track after passing the starting gate. She then jumped a levee, ran until she reached Highway 41, and continued north via the southbound lanes, where trainers and local authorities gave chase.
Her half hour run brought her onto Interstate 69 and took her across the state border into Evansville, IN, where she was corralled at the Evansville Water Department and apprehended.
Bold and Bossy was in full race gear, including a yellow No. 4 racing saddle and a set of blinders. Trainer Jack Hancock, who participated in the chase, said that these blinders made it more difficult for the horse to stop or be corralled.
“She couldn’t see anything beside her, so that made it a little worse trying to catch her,” Hancock told the Associated Press.
Hancock also cited unfamiliarity with the area as a motivating factor for Bold and Bossy’s prolonged sprint. When horses escape, they tend to head to familiar places. However, Bold and Bossy shipped into the area from Lexington. “She didn’t know where to go home,” Hancock said.
Bold and Bossy’s run removed two of her shoes, and scuffed up her front leg when she accidentally kicked herself. When she was found, she was treated for both the injury and for dehydration, but otherwise the horse sustained no serious injuries.
The race Bold and Bossy escaped from was intended to be the first in her career. While she didn’t finish, trainer Michael Ann Ewing, another participant in the chase, is optimistic for Bold and Bossy’s prospects. “Apparently,” said Ewing, “she can run.”
