Invisible Ink RIP

Invisible Ink died an untimely death and will be memorialized at the Kentucky Horse Park on September 16th at 11 am.   The lovely TB stallion (Thunder Gulch-Consuistress, by Conquistador Cielo) battled a life-threatening illness as a 2-year-old.  He made a remarkable recovery and placed second in the 2001 Kentucky Derby as a 55-1 long shot, running behind Monarchos, who ran the second fastest Derby ever behind Secretariat.  He died of a neurological disorder at a farm in New Freedom, PA.



His story is truly remarkable.  As a 2-year-old in training in Ocala, he developed a cut on his ankle.  It did not heal as quickly as it should have and he was treated with antibiotics and Bute.  His eating and drinking soon faltered and he developed colitis.  His condition deteriorated from there. He could not eat or drink and his blood and body functions broke down.  His blood protein levels dropped so low all the fluids he was being administered flushed into his body and he developed edema.

"You could barely tell where his head and body joined," said owner John Fort.  "His stomach area and testicles were the size of a beach ball.  From the appearance of the throat and stomach, it was as if somebody had poured battery acid down this horse's throat.  It completely stripped the skin and ulcerated the horse's stomach to the point it hurt him so badly he could not swallow water."

His weight fell to 500 pounds.  The insurance company gave the green light to put the horse down.  The vets were giving him so much plasma that it cost $1000 a day. 

Dr. Copelan, one of his vets, suggested they give him buttermilk that was left out in the sun to reintroduce bacteria and help restore his immune system.  They found a local farm as a supply souce and left it out in the Florida sun.  They fed the buttermilk directly into his stomach with medication.  It worked!

In two months he had turned the corner and he soon began to look like the horse he once was.  The following May he ran in the Kentucky Derby.  It is an amazing story.  Miracles do happen.