Ben's Cat, the Maryland-bred thoroughbred who won 32 races and was recently retired, died July 18 when he suffered complications from surgery and was euthanized.
The 11-year-old dark bay gelding, a four-time Maryland Horse of the Year, underwent colic surgery July 6 to repair an epiploic foramen entrapment at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., according to published reports. The condition is described as a cause of small intestinal strangulation in horses, according to online explanations of the condition.
Complications arose during his recovery.