Details have emerged following the sudden death of Big City Man, winner of the 2009 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), after the initial report of his death came on Monday evening, following a comment made by his former trainer, Saudi-based Stephane Chevalier.
Jeff Mullins, who began working Big City Man in early June at his Hollywood Park stable, reported via phone interview Tuesday, that the son of Northern Afleet completed his Sunday breeze in good order, finishing six furlongs in 1:13.40.
“We had one more string go out after him and when I got back to the barn, I was told he started showing some signs of colic. We treated him immediately and he showed no signs of improvement,” said Mullins, well-rooted in the Southern California racing community, and starter of six runners in Dubai, recording placings from Captain Squire (3rd) in the 2003 Dubai Golden Shaheen and Choctaw Nation (3rd) in the 2005 Dubai World Cup (G1).
“He didn’t respond to the treatment and we sent him to an emergency clinic. They opened him up to find a strangulated cecum,” Mullins said. “The cecum was dead.” Located in the large intestine, the cecum is a crucial element in digestion, processing undigested feed which is large enough to hold upwards of ten gallons of water, according to an equine anatomical survey from TheHorse.com.
Big City Man (right, white blaze), with Jose Verenzuela up, wins the Al Shindagha Sprint (G3)
Photo courtesy Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
Big City Man won three races in Dubai this year, capped by the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, defeating Eclipse Award winner Indian Blessing and Diabolical. Bred in Florida by the Four Horsemen’s Ranch, he finished his career with six wins and two seconds from eight lifetime starts with earnings in excess of $1.5 million.