24 Jun The True Identity of “Lady Jane”

Our Mims Retirement Haven in Paris, KY, learned the true identity of the mare it previously called “Lady Jane” on June 24, 2015. According to The Jockey Club, the mare’s name is Braggin Rights. Braggin Rights has been at the Haven since November 8, 2014.

A 1996 mare by Iroquois Park out of the Hard Work mare Jodi Z, Braggin Rights raced 10 times. She earned $12,591 with one win, four places, and one show. Her single win came at Turfway on February 4, 2000. Most of her races were run at Turfway, but she started her race career on March 26, 1998 at Delta Downs in an allowance race where she finished second. The stats for her last race, a claiming at Turfway on March 7, 2000, flags her as “on rail, faded.” She finished last in that race.

Braggin Rights’ first foal was born in 2001. A bay horse by the 1995 stallion K O Punch, Dashing Devil had seven starts with one win for career earnings of $3,532. Braggin Rights had a total of six foals. Vito Filitto, a 2007 chestnut gelding by 1991 stallion Mutakddim, earned $118,206 in his career. He won the Minstrel Stakes at Louisiana Downs and ran second in the Lafayette Stakes at Evangeline and the Old Hickory Stakes at the Fair Grounds. At three, Vito Filitto ran second in the Black Gold Stakes, also at the Fair Grounds.

Sometime after Braggin Rights last foal was born in 2011, Braggin Rights was sold outside of the major Thoroughbred auctions. She was purchased by someone who saved her from a kill buyer, but that person was unable to provide proper care. When the mare’s condition began to deteriorate, she was donated to Our Mims Retirement Haven. “Lady Jane,” as she was called when she arrived at the Haven in November of 2014, was scored to be about a 3 on the Henneke horse body condition test by Dr. Travis Burns of Park Equine Hospital in Lexington. At that time he remarked that the mare appeared to be about 25 years of age.

Donors and fans quickly sent funds to pay for the research kit from The Jockey Club to determine Lady Jane’s true identity. “We thought we had an idea who she was,” explains Cheryl Bellucci, the Haven’s Director of Fund Raising and Promotion. “But when The Jockey Club notified us as to her true identity, we were totally surprised. Braggin Rights turned out not to be any of the horses we thought she might be.”

Jeanne Mirabito, Our Mims Retirement Haven Founder and President, added: “Mystery solved thanks to the hard work of The Jockey Club! As with all our mares, Braggin Rights has landed softly and is forever safe; far away from the kill pen and whoever it was who sent her there. We have always had a certain amount of bragging rights and now we have the real deal.”

At 19, Braggin Rights isn’t quite the “proper age” to join the Ladies and Gents at Our Mims Retirement Haven (age 20), but she has been through enough in her years to earn her place in the Haven herd. She resides at the Our Mims Retirement Haven farm along with Princess Royale (Aus), Blue Viking, Trail Guide, Missy White Oak, Exciting Bucket, Dogwood Patty, Ms. Royal Flagship, and Jo Jo’s Gypsy. Our Mims grandson, the 1997 Breeders’ Cup™ Sprint winner Elmhurst, arrived at the Haven in October of 2011.

OMRH became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2006. Featured in Barbara Livingston’s More Old Friends, the Haven specializes in “restoring health and spirit in aged mares.” The Haven is supported through donations, eBay auctions, and its online shop.

Our Mims Retirement Haven is accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance​ and the Kentucky Equine Health and Welfare Council. OMRH has received grants from Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA)​.

OMRH Web Site: http://www.OurMims.org
Press Releases: http://www.OurMims.org/news/

Jeanne Mirabito: (859) 227-6304
Farm Manager, President
jeanne@ourmims.org

Cheryl Bellucci: (937) 776-1904
Director of Fund Raising and Promotion
cheryl@ourmims.org