Chelokee - Thoroughbred
- morethanpethk
- Jul 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 24
HIGHLIGHTS
Foaled April 15, 2004 - Died May 2, 2014 (10yo)
The Incident: May 2, 2008 (at 4yo) - US
The Injury: The horse slipped on the muddy track, dislocated the sesamoid bones in his right front leg. The dislocation caused destruction of all of the supporting ligaments to the back of the fetlock and pastern joint, making the ankle unstable.
The Leading Surgeon: Dr. Larry Bramlage
The Outcome: A success - Chelokee underwent joint fusion surgery and subsequently lived on a stallion farm. Six years later, in 2014, she was euthanised due to chronic pain in her left foreleg.
ABOUT THE HORSE
Chelokee is a talented dark colt with striking good looks. He had lovely action, and an easy way of going. He was amongst the best of his generation, he’s already a winner at 2yo. In no rush to push a developing young horse, he was sent to the farm for the remainder of his sophomore season. Allowed to grow up and grow out of minor issues, he returned to the racetrack in the following year at 3yo.
At his 3yo, Chelokee won in the 1st Barbaro Stakes in May 2007. A month later he won the 2nd place racing in Gulfstream Park, then won the Northern Dancer Breeders Cup Stakes (G3) in 2007. His trainer described that he was deceptively fast.
THE INCIDENT – 2 May 2008 (at 4yo)
During the running of the 2008 Alysheba Stakes, Chelokee slipped on the sloppy track and his right front leg was injured, then transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for inspection, not being put down on the racetrack.
Chelokee sustained a dislocated ankle, the colt tore all the ligaments located in the back of the fetlock which were connected to the pastern joint, making the ankle unstable. Initially he was given a 50-50 chance of survival.
THE SAVING EFFORT – led by Dr. Larry Bramlage
Three days after the catastrophic injury, an equine orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Bramlage saved the colt’s life by performing an extensive surgery Fetlock Arthrodesis.
Dr. Bramlage fused the colt damaged ankle, the main ligament to the pastern joint was replaced with a 12 inches of high-density polyethylene cord. The cord will help support the ankle until it has fused. The fusion took a plate 14 inches long and 18 screws to lock it into place with approximately two feet of wire laced into the back of the ankle to replace the ligaments.
Chelokee was doing great after surgery, he could stand almost squarely and had been shod on both front legs. It took awhile before allowing the colt to stand on the injured limb well enough to shoe the other side.
Because his injury was ligamentous in nature, the colt was kept for a prolonged period of time at the hospital, where he went through several rehabilitation treatments. His hoof required a special glue-on shoe and 24-hour care.
The colt was given a walking schedule multiple times a day to help healing his pastern bone, starting from short walks to longer distance. Chelokke was going well and recovery was right on course after 2-months of surgery, his attitude was great throughout the procedure.
Chelokee was transited to rehabilitation centre at Vinery’s lay-up facility in late August 2009. He began his rehab, was waking several times a day. The team started to wean him out of bandages, he’s in no other support.. Carers monitored his quality of life and spirt everyday. He then made a health comeback.
THE OUTCOME
In end of 2009, Chelokee was donated to the University of Arizona’s equine centre by Centennial Farms, stood his first season there in 2010. He sired 47 foals from four crops, Lady Kee and General Houston are the stakes-placed runners among his 11 winning offspring.
Eventually, mechanical breakdown of his left front ankle occurred, then led to a bone infection where he lost a section of his coffin bone. In early 2014, his activities and playfulness began to wane due to chronic pain. Chelokee was put down on 2 May 2014, six years after the injury.
Source: Wikipedia
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