Kip Deville Making Good Progress

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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

Kip Deville

Kip Deville, who has been battling laminitis for the more than a month, has made “significant improvement” at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

Dr. Scott Hopper of Rood & Riddle said on Jan. 6 that Kip Deville’s feet have continued to heal and stabilize. Hopper said the horse’s comfort level also has improved significantly and they have decreased the amount of pain medication he’s been on. He has been taken off systematic antibiotics, and is being treated locally for his foot infections.

“We’re cautiously optimistic at this point,” said Michael Iavarone, president of IEAH Stable, the majority owner of Kip Deville. “He seems to be overcoming everything so far and this progress with his hoof growth is what we’ve been hoping for. We feel a lot better today than we have since this whole episode began. We will continue to do everything we can in the best interest of Kip Deville, and this is a major step in the right direction for us, but we still have to maintain a cautiously optimistic approach.”

Although Kip Deville’s prognosis as far as being able to lead a normal pasture life is uncertain, his odds have been improving steadily. Only last month his chances of survival seemed slim and he was listed in critical condition.

“The whole thing is a nightmare,” Iavarone said at the time. “We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. This horse is like family, and we will spare no expense to see he gets the best treatment available. He means everything to us. But we will not let him suffer. We will do the humane thing for him, one way or another.”

A now 7-year-old son of Kipling  , Kip Deville was bred in Oklahoma by Center Hills Farm and is out of the Encino mare Klondike Kaytie. He was purchased by a group led by IEAH in June 2006 and went on to become one of the top turf horses in the country, winning the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) and finishing second in the BC Mile the following year to Goldikova. He is the leading Oklahoma-bred earner of all time.

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