Bubba is Aunt Mel’s newest horse. He is a Thoroughbred, a racehorse, who had a successful career as a sprinter. Before he was 2, he went to school to learn to race. He was broke for riding, learned to leave the starting gate and how to move around the track. Within a few months, he went to the track and started racing. Thoroughbred’s start working when they are very young. They have hardly begun growing when they start the hard routine of track life.

Bubba raced well, but soon a piece of bone broke off inside his leg. It was very painful. The bone chip floated inside his leg making it tender to step. With several months off, it was likely the bone chip would simply re-attach along his leg bone and heal. Bubba was sent home to spend the winter in a pasture.
As the weather warmed, the vet came out to the farm to x-ray Bubba’s leg. The chip had reattached and Bubba was cleared to return to the track to race.
He was still a baby, barely 3, when he started to race again. He ran short races that focused on speed – Bubba was a sprinter. He raced a lot, 36 times in less than 2 years. But he loved his job and he was good at it. In almost every race, Bubba placed first, second or third and made a lot of money for his owner and trainer.

Sadly, one day, Bubba’s owner died. It was very unexpected. The family had no interest in Bubba and told the trainer to sell him. Aunt Mel saw his photo and fell in love. She bought Bubba without ever meeting him.
Bubba had one last race. He was the favorite and came out of the starting gate in the lead. He led the entire race and near the finish line another horse ran up alongside. It was a photo finish.
Bubba came in second by a nose!
The next day our friends loaded Bubba on the trailer and he came to Georgia. The following day, Aunt Mel and Bubba enjoyed their first ride together.