Young Sire and Champion Givemeaminit Dies Due to EPM

Clear Creek Stud near Folsom, La., announced the loss Oct. 2 of its first-year stallion and Louisiana champion Givemeaminit  to equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.

"Anyone who has been involved in the Thoroughbred breeding business is aware of the heartbreaks that often come with it," said a statement from the farm. "That became abundantly clear to us here at Clear Creek Stud this morning when we lost first-year stallion Givemeaminit to EPM."

EPM is a neurological disease caused by two protozoa, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, that are passed to horses through opossum scat. The disease causes incoordination and muscle weakness and atrophy, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Treatments can kill the parasites, but damage already done to the central nervous system can be permanent. No vaccine for EPM exists.

The first son of leading Louisiana stallion Star Guitar  to enter stud, Givemeaminit at 2 was third in the Hopeful Stakes (GI) and fourth in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).  At 3, he continued to be competitive in graded company with a third in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG and E and KU (G3) and fourth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). He ended 2018 on a high note with a win in the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint Stakes, which earned him the title of Louisiana-bred champion colt or gelding. He made two starts at 4, getting his best result at two turns with a runner-up effort, a neck behind the winner, in the LA Bred Premier Night Championship Stakes, in which he defeated 2018 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes winner Underpressure.

Running for Valene Farms and trained throughout his career by Dallas Stewart, Givemeaminit was retired with a 3-4-2 record out of 17 starts and earned $428,580.

Bred by Clear Creek Stud, Givemeaminit returned home to begin his stud career at 5 with a $2,500 fee and a world of potential. He was out of the stakes-placed Turkoman mare Powerful Nation, who produced seven other winners, including stakes performer and stakes producer Star Celebrity (Louis Quatorze). His family also produced grade 3 winner Motovato (Proud Citizen) and stakes winner and multiple stakes producer Famous Partner.