MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Thirteen years ago, Helen Stevens-Gleason suffered a “medical emergency,” a ruptured colon that hospitalized her for 18 days.
It also was a wake-up call for Stevens-Gleason, an elementary teacher who retired after 40 years in the Franklin School District.
“Tomorrow is not promised,” she said. “It was time for us to live. Let’s get out and enjoy ourselves.”
So Stevens-Gleason and her husband, Rick, a racing official at Miami Valley Gaming in Monroe, entered the thoroughbred racing industry by investing in syndicates.
Now they find themselves in the middle of the sport’s biggest day, the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
The Middletown couple owns 200 shares of winning horse Mage, one of the 20 3-year-olds entered in the Derby.
They didn’t want to disclose what they invested in Mage or any of their horses.
“It’s like the stock market,” Rick Gleason said. “When your horse wins, you win.”
Mage is a lightly raced 3-year-old ridden by Javier Castellano, trained by Gustavo Delgado and owned by OGMA Investments, LLC, Restrepo, Ramiro, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH.
He broke his maiden Jan. 28, then was fourth on March 4 in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and second on April 1 in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Both times the eventual winner was Forte, the Derby favorite.
Stevens-Gleason comes from a horse racing family. Her father, Russell “Tootie” Stevens, trained standardbreds and show horses. He always attended the Oaks, the 3-year-old race for fillies the day before the Derby, then hosted a Derby party.
When it was time for the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home,” Stevens made everyone stand up and place their hands over their hearts.
“He’s up in heaven as excited as he can be,” she said. “He probably never thought his little girl would have a horse in the Derby.”
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