Four-time Maryland Horse of the Year Ben's Cat underwent colic surgery July 6 to repair an epiploic foramen entrapment. The surgery was performed by Dr. True Baker at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, and Ben's Cat is currently recovering in the McGee Medicine Center under the care of Dr. Rana Bozorgmanesh.
“In the short time Ben’s Cat has been in Kentucky, he has endeared himself to all that have been around him and cared for him," said Christina Welker of Spring Ridge Farm near Versailles, KY. "His intelligence and demeanor are a true testament of his class as a racehorse.
"I can assure all his loyal fans that every effort will be made to see him through to a full recovery and we are fortunate to have such skilled and high levels of equine medical care in our area.”
Ben's Cat arrived at Spring Ridge June 29 after Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury announced his retirement June 27. The 9-year-old Parker's Storm Cat gelding raced 63 times, with a 32-9-7 record and earnings of $2,643,782. Of those wins, 26 came in stakes company.
Ben's Cat is out of the Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox and is the only horse to be named Maryland-bred Horse of the Year four times, earning that honor each year from 2011-2014.