Jokers Wild is gone
 

He was one of those horses.... if you were a fan? You were a die-hard.

The battle had been going on for quite some time.....

It ended today.

"Humanely euthanased today at the University Of Melbourne's veterinary facility. Sad day for all close to this wonderful colt. Would have been great to have had some little jokers running around on our racetracks, but not to be."

Paul Moroney
... from a New Zealand racing forum

Run in peace, beautiful boy.


http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/57055...5A1E4F32AD3138

nzherald.co.nz.....


Racing: Favourite's sad end
5:00AM Saturday January 19, 2008

Dual group one winner Jokers Wild was euthanised in Melbourne yesterday after failing to recover from a leg infection.

Jokers Wild had suffered severe lameness for about four months after contracting a blood infection from an operation to remove bone chips in September.

Co-trainer Paul Moroney said the stable favourite was put down at the veterinary clinic of the University of Melbourne. "They pretty much made the decision about a week ago," Moroney said last night.

The four-year-old Black Minnaloushe stallion raced 20 times for seven wins and earnings of $576,000.

- NZPA

Happier days.....

http://www.barnesphotography.com.au/mop060507/page1.htm

Same:( could have been so much more:(

There's a nice picture of him..... :(

http://www.nzracingnews.co.nz/news-a...ival-ends.html

Jokers Wild's Battle For Survival Ends
Saturday, 19 January 2008

Jokers Wild (pictured) has lost his fight for life. The dual Gr I winner was finally destroyed in Victoria yesterday after a three-month battle to overcome a bone infection. "It's very sad," said co-trainer Mike Moroney. "It's dragged on for so long and it's such a shame we've lost him.

"It just got to the stage nothing more could be done for him.

"It's a real shame because I thought he could have made a very good sire."

Jokers Wild was the New Zealand's Mercedes Champion Two-Year-old a couple of seasons ago, winning the Gr I Ford Sires' Produce Stakes double, and he headed the NZ Two-Year-Old Free Handicap.

He was also last season's NZ Three-Year-Old Free Handicap up to 1600 metres.

Jokers Wild's injury was suffered in the Gr I $A353,000 Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last September when he finished many lengths behind the second-last horse.

Last October he underwent what seemed a simple operation to remove a bone chip from his right front fetlock and that operation seemed to go fine, but then a few weeks later the joint "blew up" when he was on a rehabilitation farm.

He then underwent further operations after a four millimetre hole was found in the sesamoid near the bottom section of the cannonbone.

He had been treated with a liquid antibiotic in a bid to try and halt the infection, which was "eating away" the cartilage.

Despite all veterinary efforts, the decision was finally made that he could not be saved.

"He's being cremated and arrangements are being made for his ashes to be flown back to New Zealand to his owners," said Moroney.

Yes. Learned about it via another forum he was going to be euthanised. Such a sad sad waste, and he would have made a lovely sire.

RIP JOKER BABY. :( :( :(