Exogenous, Injured Prior to Distaff, is Euthanized

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

After battling for almost a week, Exogenous finally succumbed to the severe head injuries suffered prior to the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Distaff. After being down in her stall since Wednesday morning and unable to get up, the daughter of Unbridled finally was euthanized at 3 a.m. Friday by New York track veterinarian Nancy Brennan.

"She just got disoriented," trainer Scotty Schulhofer said from his home in Florida. "When I left New York on Monday, she was bright and eating, and seemed to feeling good. I thought for sure she had turned the corner. But when I heard she was down in her stall and wasn't able to get up, I knew she'd likely have to be put down. She was beating herself up pretty bad and had lost all coordination."

Schulhofer's veterinarian Dr. Steve Carr was on his way to Kentucky Friday morning and said he had nothing to add to Schulhofer's comments.

Exogenous, one of the favorites for the Distaff was just about to walk on to the track from the tunnel when she reared and flipped over backwards, striking her head against the ground, while getting her feet entangled in the moveable railing. It took several agonizing minutes to extricate her and get her on the ambulance and back to the barn. The initial diagnosis was that she had suffered a severe concussion, and although not out of the woods, the prognosis was good.

Then, she took a turn for the worse. "Most likely, the brain began to swell again," Schulhofer, "and it was necessary to put her down. It's a terrible shame. She was such a beautiful filly."

• Email
• Print
• Tweet