Cave Rock Succumbs to Post-Surgery Laminitis

Two-time grade 1 winner Cave Rock died recently of complications from emergency surgery for an inguinal hernia, his trainer Bob Baffert said Aug. 19 in a statement. 

As a 2-year-old in 2022, Cave Rock was a dominant winner of his first three starts. The Arrogate colt debuted at Del Mar, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race by six lengths with the eventual Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Practical Move  second. Less than a month later, he took the Del Mar Futurity (G1) by 5 1/4 lengths as the odds-on favorite, with stablemate and future multiple graded stakes winner Havnameltdown  the runner-up.

In his next start, Cave Rock again led at every point of call while winning the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park by six lengths. This time the vanquished runner-up was future Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure , also trained by Baffert.

Off a trio of victories that could not have been more impressive, Cave Rock was the odds-on-betting choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), opening up by 1 1/2 lengths into the stretch before Forte  collared him inside the final sixteenth. Cave Rock finished a clear second. The one-two finishers in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile would also be the one-two finishers in Eclipse Award voting, with Forte taking champion 2-year-old colt honors.  

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile would be Cave Rock's final start. He posted a series of impressive workouts at Santa Anita from February to April, enough to land him on most lists of leading Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders, but never made it back to the races. 

"We are deeply saddened by the sudden illness and irreversible medical condition which led to the death of Cave Rock," Baffert said. "He was a talent at the top of his class and adored by our entire team. Learning of his death yesterday afternoon from the caring team at SLR (San Luis Rey) Equine Hospital was like a gut punch to everyone who cared for this special horse. We are left with the great memories with which he graced us but we will miss him dearly."

Baffert's statement coincided with a statement from his longtime veterinarian Dr. Vince Baker, which read as follows: 

"On July 28, 2023, after a routine morning exercise, Cave Rock showed signs of colic while cooling out. He was treated with a tranquilizer and an anti-inflammatory. His vital signs did not improve, so he was sent immediately to SLR Equine Hospital. Upon his arrival, it was determined that he had a congenital Inguinal hernia and the small intestine was lodged into the left side of the scrotum. Cave Rock was taken into surgery immediately. The surgical procedure required the resection of eighteen inches of the small intestine. Recovery was routine and went very well, until signs of laminitis started on day six post-op. Despite very aggressive medical treatments, severe laminitis led to the demise of Cave Rock."

Cave Rock was owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Bred in Kentucky by Anne and Ronnie Sheffer Racing, the dark brown or bay by Arrogate was out of the Bellamy Road  mare Georgie's Angel . Cave Rock was sold as a weanling at the 2020 Keeneland November sale for $210,000 to Fish Stables (Brian Graves), then pinhooked to the 2021 Keeneland September sale where he went for $550,000 to Pegram, Watson, and Weitman as Three Amigos Racing Stable.