The most expensive yearling ever bought in the southern hemisphere was humanely put down yesterday following a battle with laminitis.
BC3 Thoroughbred colt known to the world as ‘Jimmy’ was purchased in the Inglis Easter Sales earlier this year and is a half brother to Black Caviar.
Laminitis is inflammation of the soft tissue around the pedal bone of a horse’s hoof. It is painful and leads to instability in a horse’s hoof.
The debilitating hoof injury had been troubling the colt for close to two months.
Jimmy was being treated for his injury at the Melbourne University Veterinary Hospital in Werribee before the decision was made the colt couldn’t be helped.
It is understood that Inglis has not been paid the $5 million owed to them by BC3, the colt was insured.
Mark Webster, William Inglis Chief Executive said that it was believed that:
“Laminitis was developed after suffering an adverse reaction to antibiotics, which were being used to treat his swollen leg when admitted to the hospital in early November,” he said.
“As the younger sibling to champions Black Caviar and All Too Hard, we all had great expectations for Jimmy on the track and in the breeding barn. This is a very sad outcome for all involved.”
John Hawkes, who was training the colt in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, said he felt sadness following Jimmy’s passing.
“In a sense, it was the right thing to do because the poor horse would have been suffering, he would have been in a lot of pain,” he said.
Laminitis is difficult for horses to overcome, some of the greatest racehorses of all time have died from the condition.
This list includes American horse Secretariat and New Zealand’s Sunline.
The saddest outcome is that the racing industry will never get to see what this horse could’ve achieved.
Poppi
Guest
They can breed mum back to same dad and mum can have other foal buy same dad. and check dam stable for spider.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Yeah it's one of the worst conditions a horse can get. They can overcome it though, but sometimes it's better to humanely put them down with the amount of pain they are in.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Looks like something we may have to look into!
Bondy
Guest
Poor thing it sounds like an awfully gruesome condition.
Sammy
Guest
So true! I had a cat that survived 2 brown snake bite twice in its life ! First time - we gave him the full $$ vet treatment and he pulled through. Second time - we said " sorry fella, but your on your own this time". Anyhow, we put him in a comfortable warm spot and he went to sleep for a week.... Literally!! Anyhow he wakes up a week later.... Good as gold !? They have powerful natural immune systems... Probably cause they haven't relied on anti-biotics for the past century !
Jo M
Guest
And Secretariat.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Interesting view in which I tend to agree.
Drew H
Guest
My horses and dogs can survive spider bite, snake bite and many rotten paddock germs including rusty barb wire scratches. My animals cannot survive the effects of humans. People only have to look at them and they're sick. The whole lot would have to be an ecomonic dilemma. ---look closer---
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
It's sad I was looking forward to seeing the horse race, but from the looks of it there was nothing that they could do to help him which was sad. Yes you are right the mighty mare Sunline was also killed by the infection, poor horses though not much they can really do once they get a leg or bone injury. :(
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
I reckon he would've been a ripper!
peeeko
Roar Guru
been a lot of horses bought for over a million that have turned out to be nothing. shame we never got to find out with this horse
Jo M
Guest
From what I have seen and heard today, his pedal bone was already rotating and he couldn't stand up a lot of the time and he also had it in more than one leg. He was already taking the absolute maximum in pain relief but it wasn't really helping. The mighty mare, Sunline, was also killed by this awful infection. Hers got to the point that her bones started to splinter. So sad for this beautiful boy. According to some of the wonderful people that looked after him, he had been broken in, had a very calm nature like big sister, but was also a little cheeky.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Yeah it's all pretty crazy, white tail I am hearing. Unfortunately he didn't take well to the antibiotics and that's how he got the condition, as for the $5million well that will be interesting as to how it all plays out now.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Such unlucky circumstances too.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Well it wasn't him.
Harry
Guest
Had me worried that all too hard had died!
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Terrible news.
Daniel
Guest
It's crazy that one little spider did so much damage, if Jimmy wasn't bitten by the spider then none of this would've happened. He was only taking the antibiotics because he was bitten by a spider. As sad as it is that's one expensive spider bite, looks like BC3 could be in trouble because of defaulting it's a funny world this racing industry!
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Yeah BC3 has been quite controversial, I think it was worth the punt. If this colt didn't get Laminitis really could've been anything. Even on the bloodline alone they would've more than likely have made their money back. So don't think that just because it's related to Black Caviar it would've had everything to do with it.
Henry
Guest
Sad because this horse really could've been anything. $5 million was a lot to risk on this horse because of the Black Caviar name!