Come On Flip, winner of the 1996 Hawthorne Cup Handicap (G2), has died. The 26-year-old gelding, who resided at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Ky., was euthanized the morning of Aug. 31 due to chronic laminitis.
Michael Blowen, founder and President of Old Friends, made the announcement.
Bred in Florida by Jacarie Farm, Come On Flip (Commemorate—Phillippe Dancer, by Sovereign Dancer) broke his maiden as a 2-year-old in his first start at Arlington Park. He raced from 1993 to 2000 making 54 lifetime starts with 8 wins and 24 finishes on the board. His earnings topped off at $535,547.
Come On Flip had victories at numerous tracks, including Arlington Park, Calder, and Gulfstream, and he also captured the Cicero Mile Handicap at Sportsman's in Illinois.
In 1996 he captured his greatest career victory, scoring an upset win in the GR2 Hawthorne Cup Handicap over favorite Mt. Sassafras for then trainers Mickey and Lou Goldfine and owners Seymour Sommer and Robert Ackerman.
In 2000 Come On Flip retired to the Thoroughbred rescue ReRun. He was later adopted by Teresa and Bud Stahler of Versailles, KY., and was donated to Old Friends in 2014 with his companion, the late Do One Dance, when the Stahlers sold their farm. "He had a lovely retirement on our farm and an even lovelier retirement at Old Friends," said Mrs. Stahler.
At Old Friends Flip was cared for often by supporter Dr. Val Nicholson and her husband Brent. "Come On Flip taught us so much about patience and love," said Nicholson. "He was a perpetual five-year-old boy, sometimes stubborn, always loving, who enjoyed his clover until the very end."
"It was a privilege having Come On Flip with us these last years," said Old Friends's Blowen. "He was a warrior horse who gave his all on the racetrack, and showed us his lively spirit until the end."
