Most trainers are excited to get their horses to the races. Trainer Jim Shelton is just glad to have Donteventrytopass among the 30-plus horses in his barn this summer. Last year, while prepping for the summer stakes series in Indiana, Donteventrytopass had an unfortunate incident that threatened her life. Her return to the track in 2009 is truly remarkable and she’s returned stronger than ever at Hoosier Park.

Donteventrytopass began her three-year-old season last spring at Hoosier Park, breaking her maiden in 1:56.3. She was staked to the rich Indiana Sires Stakes and appeared to be on the path to be a contender. She was entered in a leg of the event at Indiana Downs in early August, but never made it to the racetrack. Shelton came in the barn one day and noticed the filly was in distress, showing major lameness in her front right leg and severe swelling.

Shelton and his nephew, Ashton Kidd, who co-owns Donteventrytopass with Shelton, had a big decision to make. They were faced with a tough question. They needed to decide whether to seek medical attention to try and nurse the horse back to good health or to put the horse down to put her out of her misery. The decision was made to seek medical attention with the help of veterinarian Dr. Jerrilee Cave, and Kidd, who also serves as her caretaker.

“She (Donteventrytopass) was most likely bitten by an insect of some sort,” said Dr. Cave, who has a practice in Markleville, Ind. “Her leg was three times the size it should have been. We began working on it, but the prognosis wasn’t good. I didn’t think she would survive something of this magnitude, much less ever make it back to the racetrack.”

Donteventrytopass slowly regained her health and then started to train lightly to build up endurance and strength. Kidd and Dr. Cave were very attentive to the leg and although it was a slow process, she fully recovered from the incident.

“During the winter, she (Donteventrytopass) continued to train at Shelbyville at the fairgrounds,” said Kidd. “We were just hoping she would be able to race in the future.”

Heading into 2009, Donteventrytopass shows no signs of ever being afflicted by the bite. Now four, the daughter of VP Finance has earned two wins, one second and one third in five starts, taking a new lifetime mark of 1:55.2.

“It’s remarkable that she’s back on the track,” said Cave. “I would not have given her very good odds to even be around. It’s great to see her back racing.”

(Hoosier Park)