Our Story
The Story of Diamonds N Denim
A Champion’s Battle
Diamonds N Denim suffered a career ending knee injury on July 5th, 2023, at Penn National Racetrack. Miraculously she was not put down.
Although we were not her owners, we learned about her after she ended up at a farm in New Jersey. She was very bright, alert and mobile despite her injury, which is not something you would normally see. You could see in her eyes that she had the will to live.
A Community of Care
With the help of Maggie Seidman, Jay Oringer, Lucien Bianchi (Al Bianchi Racing), Steven Spielman (Nice Guys Stables) and Adam Bayroff and Michael Alon (Baytree Stables), Diamonds was sent to The New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania for a very complex surgery called a Pancarpal Arthrodesis. New Bolton had two of their very best, Dr. Kyla Ortved and Dr. Jose Garcia-Lopez, caring for her. On August 7th, 2023, she made it through surgery and was doing well and began rehabilitation.
Trials and Triumphs
A month after surgery, Diamonds started to develop an infection, and the surgical screws were not holding as they should. The doctors advised that they wanted to go back in to clean up the infection and place new screws with the hope they would hold. Diamonds was still her bright self and her eyes told us she wasn’t giving up. We had come this far so we decided to have the second surgery. Again, Diamonds responded very well to the surgery.
A Legacy of Hope
A few weeks passed and the infection returned, and Diamonds began to develop laminitis from carrying all her weight on her good leg. We were in constant communication with the doctors until the day came when we got the call that she was declining. Although only in our lives for two months, this was a hard decision for all involved. She had become a favorite at New Bolton, and we so much wanted to get her back to full health and find her a forever home. However, we had to think of her and not of ourselves and Diamonds was put to rest on October 4th, 2023, surrounded by the entire New Bolton staff after she was given her favorite treat, Apples!
As you can imagine, we were devastated that we had lost her. However, we felt that Diamonds had come into our lives to inspire us to do more, to help horses that aren’t just ours. Therefore, in her memory, we decided to start Diamond Racehorse Retirement Foundation, Inc. D/B/A Diamond Racehorse Aftercare to assist as many horses as possible to be adopted, repurposed and/or placed in loving homes after their racing careers are over with the belief that others with a similar love of horses will join in our cause.
