It is with great sadness that we must report that Irap has been euthanized after contracting laminitis. The surprise winner of the Bluegrass Stakes earlier this year, Irap scored two impressive wins in the summer and established himself as one of the top three-year-olds of the year.
The late-developing colt finished the year with a reocord of 3-3-1 from nine starts. His $1.6 million in earnings this year places him fifth among all horses in North America.
A son of Tiznow, Irap was the last foal of Canadian champion Silken Cat. He was foaled and raised at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, KY in 2014. After failing to sell at the Keeneland yearling sale in 2015, he was sold privately to Bobby Dodd and Brad Grady who took Irap to Grady's farm in Florida where Irap was briefly a stablemate of future top three-year-old Girvin.
Irap was sold at the Ocala Breeders Sale for two-year-olds-in-training to Dennis O'Neill. Irap was moved to California where he began training under Dennis O'Neill's brother Doug O'Neill.
Irap began racing in October 2016, but failed to break his maiden in several starts. He finished second in a Grade-1 race as a two-year-old and in two stakes races as a three-year-old. Depsite never having won a race, Irap entered the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland and shocked the field as a 31-to-1 longshot.
Irap finished a disappointing 18th in the Kentucky Derby before winning the Ohio Derby in a tight race over formerstablemate Girvin. Irap came back to win the Indiana Derby before finishing third in the Grade-1 Travers Stakes and second in the Grade-1 Pennsylvania Derby.
Irap was injured in the Pennsylvania Derby and underwent surgery. During his recovery, he contracted laminitis, which ultimately led to his untimely death.
Irap's owners (Paul & Zillah Reddam of Reddam Racing) made the following statement on Facebook:
For Immediate Release--
Press Statement from Paul and Zillah Reddam/Reddam Racing LLC Regarding Champion Irap.
October 20, 2017
It is with great sadness that we heard today that Irap has developed laminitis. Not wanting him to suffer, we have made the decision to euthanize him. We would like to thank Dr. Dean Richardson and his team at New Bolton for doing their best with Irap, as well as Dr. Ryan Carpenter for showing his compassion by jumping on a plane when he learned of Irap’s injury. We also want to thank Doug O’Neill and his entire staff for the wonderful care they took of Irap throughout his racing career. Irap provided many thrills over the past year and he changed from maiden to graded stakes winner overnight. He developed into a top race horse who carried himself with tremendous dignity and a level of class that is rare. We count ourselves lucky to have been part of his life for an all too brief time. - The Reddams
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