Chelokee dies on day of Alysheba Stakes

Grade 3 winner Chelokee, who survived serious sesamoid injuries to become a

sire, died Friday at the University of Arizona Equine Sciences Program. In a

poignant twist, the 10-year-old succumbed on the day of the Alysheba at

Churchill, the very race in which he broke down, exactly six years ago to the

day.

The news was revealed on the program's

Facebook page Monday:

"On Friday, May 2, 2014, we said goodbye to one of the most amazing horses I

have ever had the privilege of caring for and knowing, Chelokee. Over the past

few months we were noticing a tiredness about him that hadn't been there before.

The fight was still there but his beautiful body was tired and giving out on

him. This big hearted, intelligent, kind horse will be greatly missed. I love

you Chelokee!"

The Equine Sciences Program later responded to an outpouring of condolences

from fans:

"Thank you everyone for your support. He was such a loved horse as evident by

all his friends here today.

"It was his previous injury to the right front which caused him to have

problems in his left front, and the pain in both just finally became too much

for him."

Chelokee was trained by Michael Matz of Barbaro fame. Third in his stakes

debut in the 2007 Florida Derby, he scored an especially touching victory in the

Barbaro Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico, the year after Barbaro's

catastrophic breakdown that ultimately led to his death from laminitis. Chelokee

was all heart to earn a graded laurel in the Northern Dancer back at Churchill,

but subsequently headed to the sidelines. The son of Cherokee Run made a winning

four-year-old bow in a Gulfstream Park allowance in early 2008, in what turned

out to be his penultimate start.

Saved for stud after undergoing surgery for his Alysheba injuries, Chelokee

stood his initial season at Vinery, near Lexington, Kentucky, in 2009. His

owner, Centennial Farms, then decided to

donate him to the University of Arizona Equine Center in Tucson. Chelokee

has sired 11 winners, chief among them the stakes-placed Lady Kee.

Chelokee was bred by Gulf Coast Farms Bloodstock in Kentucky and sold to

Centennial for $290,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. A half-brother to

Grade 2-winning sire Salute the Sarge and Grade 2-placed stakes victress Mymich,

he is out of the Grade 2-placed Silver Ghost mare Dixie Ghost. Chelokee earned

$385,785 from his 10-5-1-2 line.