I know he's 25. I know colic complications happen and even with surgery not all can be saved. But the loss of the big horses (be they famous or not) always tugs a nerve. Gone West has been euthanized following complications from colic surgery.
Gone West in his prime made a huge move and looked to be the winner of the 1987 Wood Memorial coming into the stretch. Gulch drove back with a big hearted gutsy move refusing to give up and the two hit the wire together with Capote and other big horses further back.
Gone West was pensioned earlier this year at Mill Ridge Farm. The son of Mr Prospector out of Secrettame by Secretariat, Gone West earned $682,251 on the track himself, winning 6 of 17 starts. His second dam was by Tim Tam. As a sire he's produced 98 stakes winners, 48 graded stakes winers and winners of nearly $77.7million in earnings. It included 1202 foals of racing age now, 19 crops. The list of offspring is huge. Champion sprinter Speightstown. European 2 year old champion Zafonic. G1 winners Johar, Grand Slam, Da Hoss, Comendable. G3 winners Mr. Greeley, and leading sire G3 winner Elusive Quality. Leading French sire Zamindar is another.
Royally bred, beautiful, gutsy and talented. Current runners include Quetsche Stormy West, Mash Side, Checklist, Cowgirl Mally, Tony Terrific, Tiz West, Western Fling, Gainful and Catera. Truly an internatioal sire several of these are winning in France, as Danon Meister and Affiliate are in Japan.
Keywords: colic, Da Hoss, Gone West, sire
