Grade 1 Winner I Want Revenge Dies

Grade 1 winner I Want Revenge—who recently sold for $10,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale—died Nov. 24 in Indiana, according to a statement released by owner Jeff Jeans through the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Program.

The 12-year-old son of Stephen Got Even entered stud in 2014 at Pauls Mill, then moved to Millennium Farms from 2015-18. He was set to stand the 2019 season at Indiana Stallion Station after he was consigned by Buckland Sales to the Keeneland November Sale and was purchased by Jeans and his wife Stacy.

"During the Keeneland sale last week, we had to pull a weanling filly out of the sale due to a virus that she had caught while at the Keeneland sale barn," read the statement released by Jeans. "I was told by the farm manager that several of the babies were affected. When we took possession of I Want Revenge and shipped him to Indiana, we were told upon his arrival that he had a 104 (degree) fever. The same type of fever our weanling came back from the sale with.

"Joyce Baker, the owner of Indiana Stallion Station, called me and told me what was going on, and Stacy (and) I let her know to go ahead and get a vet out right away and start treating him. (Intravenous treatment was) started through a catheter. After a few days he began to respond, the fever dropped, and then this afternoon, when I called to check on him, Joyce told me we had a setback (and) that I Want Revenge was struggling with his breathing. The vet was immediately called back out and began a new regimen of treatment.

"I just received a call from Joyce and was informed that I Want Revenge has passed."

Bred in Kentucky by David J. Lanzman Racing out of the Roy mare Meguial, I Want Revenge won the 2009 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) and Gotham Stakes (G3) and was the morning-line favorite for that year's edition of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). The Jeff Mullins trainee made headlines when filling in an ankle caused his withdrawal the morning of the race. He returned to place in two graded stakes but never won again. His career record stood at 3-3-6 from 14 starts with earnings of $928,000. His first foals are 3-year-olds in 2018.

"Stacy and I are so brokenhearted," Jeans' statement said. "This is a horse who had the heart of a champion. He gave everything he had. He dealt with less-than-favorable circumstances throughout his racing and breeding career. Stacy and I, along with Ryan Campbell and Joyce Baker, were committed to supporting him to ensure his greatness was passed on to his progeny. But it was not to be. Please know we all did everything possible to save this magnificent animal. We loved him the moment he walked out into the sales ring. Our hearts are broken. RIP."