Godspeed to Foggy! You were a special boy!:sadsmile:
Thank you for posting the Bloodhorse news link. :yes: I see it was put up as I was still writting my previous post.
At least LITF is now free at last to once again be a real horse across the Rainbow Bridge.
I must say I have been terribly upset at how he was kept locked in his stall through all this, with Gilchrist hand walking him when he had the time to. Gilchrist’s own words as to when he had the time. WTF? 
LITF is free at last! God speed his soul across the Rainbow Bridge.
So sad…
IMO LITF’s connections did their best for their brave boy. Gilchrist even missed going to spread a combat buddy and lifelong friend’s ashes in order to be with LITF, so I’m sure he spent enough time grazing the horse. Sorry, but it just seems that some people rush to judgement when they don’t know the people or animals involved. I know I had read that LITF would need a certain amount of stall rest - why not do it where they felt he would be happiest? I don’t blame FLABreds for no naming her source either - she knew the official status would follow (would a name actually have helped?). Anyway, I don’t mean to get bogged down in pettiness, but I find it disturbing that Gilchrist and Aleo are being judged for not taking this horse to a farm - they did what they felt was right for their horse…
RIP Lost In The Fog - we were lucky to have watched you blaze accross the earth!
RIP – Foggy. 
Another champion gone from this earth, but free in the heavens running with the greatest.
I think he kept the horse where he was most comfortable. My OTTB loved her stall and was stress (panicced and shaking) when first turned out in a pasture. I think they were avoiding new and possibly stressful situations. I don’t think he was being cruel by keeping him stalled.
Some OTTB have to slowly be introduced to pasture life and even drugged to keep them from hurting themselves. Some horses absolutely love track life.
I think they did all they could for a horse they loved.
As you can see, unfortunately, the news is true. I named my source without actually giving out her name in my earlier post. She purchased LITF as a weanling and consigned him as a yearling and has been in contact with his connections ever since. We were just discussing him Saturday morning when she came out to our farm.
Such a sad day for all of us who loved this very special colt. I was hoping and praying he’d pull thru but I know his connections did everything they could for him. God bless them for trying and also knowing when to call it a day. :sadsmile:
FLAbreds, I’m so sorry for thinking nasty things about you being a rumor monger this morning! I was so hoping you were mistaken and your source was wrong. Although I don’t know Barbaro or Lost In the Fog and never saw either in person, I have put so much energy into positive thoughts and prayers for them that I feel they are part of my family. I was truly shattered this morning sitting at my desk sobbing. Thank you for bringing us the news. I will always remember they made the decision to bring him home so he could be with his groom in the end.
Farewell, sweet prince. And may flights of angels (WITH CARROTS) wing you to your rest. :sadsmile:
You won’t be forgotten.
You and your caretakers fought the good fight. Godspeed fast boy.
A Tribute to Lost In The Fog
As posted on The Barbaro Recovery…
Update 671: In honor of Lost in the Fog I wanted to highlight a couple of tributes, the first a video: Lost in the Fog: Tribute to a Champion. Listening the commentary of his race at Saratoga is amazing.
The second, a poem by Linnie (timestamp: 8:25pm):
Just very quickly, I wrote the following humble tribute to a great hero:
Lost in the Fog
You are lost no more
The angels have beckoned
And have opened God’s door
Lost in the Fog
No more pain shall you bear
As the grief in my heart
is assuaged by my tears
Lost in the Fog
'Twas a most gallant fight
Now you make your true passage
Through the comforting Light
Lost in the Fog
Down the backstretch toward Home
Your eyes fixed on the prize
Peaceful days now will come
Lost in the Fog
An incredible race
And a sprint to the Finish
With the stature of Grace
Lost in the Fog
Ne’er a Hero so strong
That will wear a King’s Crown
On a misty September Morn
Lost in the Fog
Angels wait at God’s door
To welcome the Champion
'Twill be lost Nevermore …
The veterinarians and staff at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital were greatly saddened to learn that Lost in the Fog had lost his battle with lymphoma and was euthanized at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Dr. Gary Magdesian, the specialist in equine internal medicine and critical patient care who had directed Lost in the Fog’s diagnostic evaluation and treatment since Aug. 13, when the horse was first examined at UC Davis, had been in daily telephone communication with Dr. Don Smith, Lost in the Fog’s regular veterinarian, since the horse completed the first round of chemotherapy treatment at UC Davis on Sept. 7 and returned to Golden Gate Fields under the care of Greg Gilchrist, his trainer.
Lost in the Fog tolerated the first chemotherapy treatment very well and had been comfortable and in good spirits until late last week. At that time, he began to develop mild swelling in his hind legs and scrotum and to show signs of mild abdominal discomfort (colic). As had been the case during Lost in the Fog’s previous episodes of mild colic, he initially responded well to symptomatic treatment with analgesics and remained bright and comfortable until Sunday afternoon, when he became distressed and more uncomfortable.
Prior to instituting chemotherapy, all those involved in decisions regarding Lost in the Fog’s care – including owner Harry Aleo; trainer Greg Gilchrist; veterinarian Don Smith; and UC Davis veterinarians Gary Magdesian, Alain Theon, Larry Galuppo, and David Wilson – agreed that if the point was reached that it was no longer possible to provide Lost in the Fog with an acceptable level of comfort and quality of life while continuing chemotherapy aimed at inducing remission of the tumors, humane euthanasia would be the most appropriate course of action. That point was reached on Sunday afternoon.
Lost in the Fog showed the same incredible toughness and determination in his battle with cancer that he showed during his illustrious racing career. He was a wonderful patient and true gentleman to the end, and will be greatly missed by his many fans around the world, including those who cared for him during his final weeks.
As Greg was quoted in a few articles that have come out today:
“I’ve always said when it got too bad, Lost in the Fog would let me know, and that’s what he did,” Gilchrist said. “It was great to spend time with him every day, just be around him and remember things, where we’ve been.”
Godspeed, Lost of the Fog!!
Very, very sad. My condoleneces to everyone who knew, loved and worked with this brave colt. I know they did their very best.
As posted on The Barbaro Recovery~
Update 673: Tributes to Lost in the Fog continue unabated. A couple of examples on the discussion boards: New Tribute to Lost in the Fog and THE LAST BATTLE.
Calder Race Track issued a news release: Farewell to a Champion: Goodbye, Lost in the Fog. The Fog made his final start at Calder. There is a nice picture of him under exercise rider Sue Milne.
Golden Gate Field also issued a news release: CHAMPION LOST IN THE FOG EUTHANIZED. The following are two excerpts:
Gilchrist said it was tough to say goodbye to Lost in the Fog.
“It was very emotional,” said Gilchrist. “I probably won’t ever get over it. I always said when it got too bad, Lost in the Fog would let me know. I think he did yesterday (Sunday). If he was a person, he would have said, ‘It’s time.’ That’s life and we have to deal with it. People come and go. I’ll just see him on the other side.”
Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog will be cremated and it’s likely his ashes will go to Southern Chase Farm in Florida, where he was raised.
and
When asked how he would like fans to remember Lost in the Fog, Gilchrist replied, “Just remember him for the great warrior and champion he was.”
Golden Gate Fields is planning to honor Lost in the Fog on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Here are the snail mail addresses of Lost in the Fog’s connections.
Some comments from other members of the team, from the 9/19/06 San Francisco Chronicle:
Owner Harry Aleo:
“It’s a sad day,” Aleo said in a telephone interview with The Chronicle. "Geez, I never thought I’d feel so bad about a horse passing away. I haven’t felt this bad when some of my friends died. We did everything we possibly could to try to save him. That I feel good about. We always said that if it got to this point, it was time to put him down.
“What a heart this horse had. I feel real sad that we can’t pass on those genes, but in a way this is closure. He gave us so much joy. We went all over the country with him, and he had an aura about him. When he ran at Golden Gate Fields (in the Golden Bear Breeders’ Cup Stakes) and broke the track record, I’ll never forget that day. They more than doubled their normal attendance. And when he ran at Bay Meadows (in the Bay Meadows Speed Handicap), and people were 10-deep in the paddock cheering. How much is all that worth? It’s priceless. I look at that damned Eclipse Award on top of the TV, and it’s still unbelievable to me.”
Jockey Russell Baze (who rode him in all but one race):
“A horse like that doesn’t come around very often,” he said. “He was a special horse, and I was happy to be associated with him. Even though we all knew it was going to happen, it’s sad to hear it out loud.”
Lost in the Fog’s body was taken to UC Davis for postmortem, and then he will be cremated.
As has been widely cited, but worth remarking again, is that while he dropped his last race he did win his prior effort at Churchill Downs. The Aristides Breeders’ Cup Handicap on June 3, 2006 during which he was most certainly already burdened with tumors and was less then 1 second off the track record [6f in 1:08.52 vs. 1:07.59] is utterly amazing.
Flashback link to that video and news account: NTRA 6/3/2006 “Aristides BC: Lost in the Fog is back”
A true Champion, you will be forever missed.
oh dear - crying at work - not good. Bless you Lost in the Fog - carry on brave one, pain free!
So, so sad.
I just don’t understand how a 4-year-old develops cancer.
sad
Unfortunately, even newborns animals and people(yes, I know that people are animals) can have malignancies. Youth is not always protective:(
I just have to respond to this poster’s remarks;
"I must say I have been terribly upset at how he was kept locked in his stall through all this, with Gilchrist hand walking him when he had the time to. Gilchrist’s own words as to when he had the time. WTF? "
Many racehorses that I have known find solace in the routine that they know. In my own experience many have preferred the barns and the barn activity to being turned out. I think we can all agree that Lost in the Fog was much loved and provided with the best of care. It is not up to us to judge the people who knew him best. Godspeed Foggy. My heart goes out to his people…
I cannot understand how anyone can second-guess someone else’s agonizing decision in a time like this. Having been through this myself (I bet a lot of us have), I know it is heartbreaking and you do end up second-guessing yourself, but in the end you do the best you can when you don’t have a crystal ball. I broke down in tears when I read this on Tim Woolley’s website:
Update 676:
I called up the writer [of a story about Foggy], Glenye Cain (we have corresponded a little over Barbaro over the last month or two), to get her perspective from the interview of Mr. Aleo. This is what Glenye told me:
[I]Mr. Aleo’s comments made the story. I do not know Mr. Aleo personally and this was the first time I had talked with him. You can only imagine how difficult it is for a reporter to talk to someone for the first time under such circumstances.
The thing that struck me about Mr. Aleo was his question “I hope we did the right thing?”, he still questions whether they did the right thing for the horse, and that is and has been his sole concern. He did not want to allow him to suffer unecessarily. It was very touching. He was very subdued, a little shocked. [/I]
