I’m also wondering what kind of “freaky genetic defect” is being imagined that would allow a horse to train and race at the very highest levels for more than two years–travelling from California, to New York, to Florida, to Dubai, and decisively winning G1 races in all those places, then mysteriously…what? Suddenly activate when he was seven years old? I’m sorry, but that sounds like science fiction to me.
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Juddmonte was pretty detailed in their statement about the progression of his illness. If they had found the cause at the necropsy they probably would have mentioned it.
It’s been a little over 3 weeks, lab results could easily take that long. Arrogate will (obviously) not be breeding again, so it’s difficult to imagine any dubious motive that Juddmonte could have to keep the cause quiet.
Unbridled’s Song was euthanized at 20 after developing neurological symptoms due to an large invasive mass in his sinus cavities and around the optic nerve that was visible on MRI.
Arrogate had no abnormalities that they could see with MRI or x-ray etc…
His Dam is 14 and has produced 8 foals so is apparently healthy.
Unless he is discovered to have had some rare heritable disease, I think the relative scarcity of his get will make them more popular, not less.
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This article seems to explain exactly what happened, and what the cause was. What a shame!
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Definitely strange… wonder what the initial cause was.
While altogether not good, nice to know that ultimately there was nothing that could be done for him.
Will be interesting to see what his get does once they get to the track.
