Banker's Jet had to be euthanized in 2007 at the age of 25 due to complications from arthritis. This is his story.

Far too many retired thoroughbreds wind up forgotten and neglected. It happened to Banker's Jet, a rugged old pro who raced for eight years,earned $679,381 and won seven stakes races. But he was one of the lucky ones. After a terrible ordeal, he is safe and happy and living a terrific life on a Pleasant Valley, Connecticut farm owned by Raymond Roy Jr.

Foaledin 1982, Banker's Jet's racing career began way back in 1984, when he broke his maiden at Greenwood Race Course in Toronto. Over the next several years, he established himself as one of the toughest sprinters ever to come out of the New England tracks. His crowning moment came in1987 when he won the prestigious A Phenomenon Stakes at Saratoga. But age and infirmities started to catch up to him and he broke down in a $5,000 claimer in 1991 at the Meadowlands.

Joe Imperio, his trainer at the time, found a good home for him and Banker's Jet was adopted as a pleasure horse. After a while, his new owner could no longer board him, so he was sent to an upstate New York farm to live. It was there that his story came too close to be a tragedy.

The owner found Banker's Jet at the farm in terrible condition. He was obviously starving and was alone in a paddock, knee deep in mud, with no sign of a feed tub or even a wisp of hay anywhere to be found. He had been all but abandoned.

Fortunately, he was found just in time and was rescued by the TRF. His first TRF home was the farm at the Wallkill Correctional Facility.There, he was nursed back to life by the student inmates and turned healthily plump. Eventually, he was moved to the Connecticut farm,where he is living out his years as a beloved pasture pet.

"He's still just hanging around," Roy said. "He's a little arthritic and a little gimpy at times, but he's O.K."

Roy said that because of the injuries Banker's Jet suffered on the track, he will never be ridden. He's still a little wary of people, no surprise considering what he went through. But those are just minor problems. In the end, Banker's Jet got what he deserved: a caring home.