Lindsy Reed's passion for Thoroughbreds has been tested more than she could ever foresee.
Enamored with horses since early youth and determined to live the farm lifestyle, her first major obstacle was her father, trainer Eric Reed, who desired a less demanding career for his daughter.
"Since I was 5 years old I've been around them...My mom was lenient, my dad was very strict," Reed said. "He did not want us around the horses because he knows how hard of a life it is and how big of an addiction it becomes. It never goes away, it stays there."
Despite her father's efforts, Reed was addicted and persistent. Seven years ago she began working at the family's Mercury Equine Center and knew it was where she belonged.
"When she came to work I was kind of glad but in another way, this is a hard life and it's seven days a week," the elder Reed said. "Of course, she took to it really well, and her love for the horses is unquestionable...I'd rather see her do small animals in a vet clinic or work with a vet. Somewhere like that where she has benefits, real hours, and a real life. But she knows what she wants to do in life, and she's real good at it."
Starting with the basics, Reed learned how to properly brush and bandage the horses. She earned more responsibility after achieving her assistant trainer's license in 2017.
"Now I do 36 bandages a day, front and back, and I take care of the majority of the racehorses," Reed said. "Some babies, some maidens that haven't run yet. I started taking the role as an assistant from my mom. That was pretty much doing all the things that she doesn't have the time or the mentality to do anymore."
Not only is Reed hands-on with the horses, she also manages most of the paperwork, keeps track of horses that ship in and out of the farm, and organizes visits from blacksmiths, veterinarians, and dentists.
"Anything to do with these animals, they go through me. That's mostly been my responsibility, and I think I've done a pretty good job of it," Reed said.
Eric Reed said he's proud of her work ethic.
"She soaks things up like a sponge, takes a lot of notes, and takes her job real serious. She lives there on the farm and is one of the first ones in and last ones to leave. She works as hard as four men."
Though she now proudly stands in her role, Reed's path was far from easy.
Only a year after she started working for her father, a lightning strike set ablaze one of the training center's barns. The fire consumed the barn, stole the lives of 23 horses, and left the future of the family training business in doubt.
Recounting the event, Reed's voice shifted as she solemnly described that oddly warm night in December 2015.
"It was weird because it was 60 degrees and it's the week before Christmas," Reed said. "There was a storm coming in...but the barn looked good, horses were quiet. We closed up the barn and went home."
It was past midnight when Reed received a chilling call from her mother Kay. She learned that one of the barns at the training center had ignited.
"I was in my apartment in Versailles and it was 1 a.m. and my mom calls me. Then she calls me again. My mother doesn't call me at 1 a.m. Never has in my entire life," Reed said. "I thought, 'something's wrong.'... I called (back) and she said, 'You need to get your ass to the barn. This is bad. This is really bad. The barn's on fire.'"
Hurtling down the dark, rain-slicked roads as fast as she could, Reed began to understand the extent of the fire when she saw flames licking out from the tops of trees a mile away from the property.
As she drew closer, the scene was utter devastation.
"I pulled into the farm and all that was left was the roof. I think that was the lowest, most degrading moment of my life," Reed said. "I taught all of those horses their manners. I taught them that humans are your friend and that we are here to protect you, and take care of you, and make you happy."
Reed said she constantly replays the day's events in her mind.
"I really bonded with the 23 that we lost, truly bonded with them," Reed said. "When they perished and all that was left was the roof that was lying overtop of their bodies, I looked at Emory, our assistant at the time, and asked him 'How many got out?' He said, 'Thirteen honey, the rest are gone.' I said 'I thought so.'"
"I couldn't talk, couldn't think. I just stood out in the rain and let the rain speak down on me. If we could have done it differently, there's no way we could have got them out. The age of the barn and where it was completely made of wood, and the age of the wood, when it struck, it was going and there was no stopping it."
The majority of horses that perished were yearlings replacing the crop from the previous year. Reed felt hopeless. It seemed that the world her family worked so hard to build had crumbled instantaneously.
Not even two weeks later, however, donations began to pour in from all over the community, including from Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and New York. The Reeds also received horses from owner/breeder Ken Ramsey that helped their recovery.
"Mr. Ken Ramsey came through and he got us back on our feet again," Reed said. "We are forever thankful for him and his horses and the opportunity to have his horses here and work with them before Mr. Ramsey retired...It was a nightmare and to overcome this the way that we have, not many people do it. It doesn't happen."
Moving forward after tragedy can be difficult, but Reed said it gave her another chance to view life with a different perspective.
"It's a humbling thing. As my mom has always said, 'God giveth, and God taketh away.' Don't ever take it for granted, don't ever give up on the dream, and don't ever stop thanking Him for what he gives you. You stay humble, you keep believing, you keep trying, and you never give up. You give up, let it go, you might never come back. Keep fighting, keep pushing forward."
And fight they did—all the way to an extraordinary victory on the first Saturday in May.
Recollecting her thoughts, Reed's eyes sparkled as she recounted leading Rich Strike through the sights and sounds at Churchill Downs.
"We walked all the way through with him and saw that crowd roaring. I just looked at him for a moment and I remembered Red Pollard and how he looked at Seabiscuit and said 'This is for you buddy. They ain't hollering for nobody, they're hollering for you.'
"I looked over at Richie and I said the same thing, 'This is for you buddy, this is for you.' He looked back at me and said 'You think?' and I said 'I know, I know.' I swear to God he looked right back at me. I said 'Alright Richie, let's show them what you're made of kid.'"
Watching from the paddock, Reed and her family could hardly believe their eyes when they saw their horse claimed for a mere $30,000 accomplish the unthinkable. Still in shock, the group walked to the winner's circle, and Reed beelined for the colt.
"He comes back and he's got this fire in him," Reed said. "I look at Richie this way. Richie is our phoenix. As you know, a phoenix rises from the ashes with flames flying behind it. We've risen from the ashes and Richie came flying down that gap with flames behind him. He's known as the phoenix here."
Bypassing the press to lead Richie back to the barn, Reed threw her arms up to encourage the roaring masses. Peering back at the colt as cheers reverberated, Reed recalled telling him, "There Richie, there's your crowd. You did what the big dogs told you that you couldn't do."
Weeks later, the surprise of the win still lingers at Mercury as the team prepares for the 3-year-old son of Keen Ice to start in the June 11 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
As for Reed, she will stay behind to attend to the horses at the farm while watching her 'phoenix' burn from afar.
Regardless of the outcome of the race, Reed is undeniably right where she needs to be.
"Horses have always been my thing," Reed said. "For some reason, all roads led right back here. I've never tried to part with them because I'm actually afraid to part with them now."
