Spendthrift Farm's Lord Nelson euthanised after laminitis battle

Spendthrift Farm's promising freshman sire and three-time Grade 1 winner Lord Nelson was euthanised at the age of nine on Thursday after a battle with laminitis.

The son of Pulpit and Seeking The Gold mare African Jade was one of the fastest sprinters of his generation, winning three consecutive top-level contests in 2016 from a 13-race career for Bob Baffert.

Having won the Bing Crosby Stakes in near record time at Del Mar, he also landed the Triple Bend Stakes over seven furlongs and Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes over six at Santa Anita.

Lord Nelson's first crop of two-year-olds have included impressive Churchill Downs maiden special weight winner Trafalgar, Ellis Park allowance winner Bueno Bueno, and debut Gulfstream Park maiden special weight winner Basking.

Ned Toffey, Spendthrift's general manager, said: “Upon consulting with a veterinarian team consisting of Dr Scott Morrisson, Dr Jim Morehead, Dr Caleb Harms and our stallion manager Wayne Howard, it was determined that the only humane course of action we had was to euthanise Lord Nelson following his latest difficult battle with laminitis.

“It’s pretty well chronicled his long fight with the disease. After several encouraging years, it unfortunately caught up with him and we couldn’t allow him to suffer after we had run out of medical options.

“It's a very sad day at Spendthrift. Lord Nelson was an unbelievably courageous horse and I think he’ll always be remembered by the entire team at Spendthrift and anyone who ever got to be around him. Just a very special animal and we will miss him.”

Bred by Clearsky Farms, Lord Nelson was a $340,000 purchase by John Fort from the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

He was the first foal out of African Jade, who is in turn out of an Argentine Oaks and Grade 1 Spinster Stakes-winning full-sister to champion Argentine miler Mr Nancho.

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