After Complications With Injury, Horse Racing Icon Perfect Drift Passes Away At 25

Published 01/06/2024, 5:50 AM EST

For horse racing stars, living a blissful life of tranquility isn’t always possible, even after retirement. The four-legged equine athletes perform in one of the most arduous sports in the world, that require them to stay in shape throughout their careers. However, sometimes injuries incurred on the track can lead to irreversible damage to their bodies, which can often render them unable to go back on the court with their human partners. As Santa Anita Park gave rise to another promising horse racing star earlier this week, fans of the sport are heartbroken by the news of a veteran’s demise this week.

Perfect Drift, the 25-year-old gelding, won the Washington Park Handicap twice and was one of the most legendary names in the circuit. With that in mind, his passing away hits all the harder for connoisseurs.

An illustrious career comes to an untimely end

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Perfect Drift was given an early retirement after a paddock injury, from which he never recovered. He was euthanized on 4 January, reported Bloodhorse.com. The durable gelding, and son of the legendary Dynaformer, won or was placed in 32 of his 50 starts between the period of 2001 to 2008 and had amassed more than $4 million throughout his illustrious career. Perfect Drift was also trained by the phenom himself, Richard Mandella, and had the honor of riding with Hall of Famers Eddie Delahoussaye and Pat Day.

Understandably, the end of the road for Perfect Drift has sent shockwaves across the horse racing community. The graceful mare had bagged some incredible achievements in his career including a third-place finish in the 2002 Kentucky Derby, the 2003 Stephen Foster Handicap, and the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap in 2003. Dr. Bryan Reed, the doctor who euthanized the decorated horse said that Perfect Drift “…kept showing up“. Reed also expressed his thoughts about the injury that had potentially turned fatal for the gelding.

According to Reed, Perfect Drift’s 2020 paddock injury to a right hock was never cured fully. That complication resurfaced recently. But the gelding never gave up. However, that could not prevent the ultimate. “But we knew that there would come a time when those issues would progress to the point of a difficult decision needing to be made,” Reed wrote, announcing Perfect Drift’s death.

In his last race before retiring for good, Perfect Drift finished the Windy Sands Handicap third on the podium. Even after exiting the race track forever, he continued to draw visitors who couldn’t help but be in awe of the grace of the veteran racer.

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Difficult times at Stonecrest Farm

After his retirement, Perfect Drift spent his days as a paddock pony, and Dr. Reed couldn’t stop talking about how precious their time together was at the Stonecrest Farm. Reed said Perfect Drift’s injuries were significant, but he was determined to fight his way back with an unquenchable thirst for life.

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“He deserved the dignity of leaving us while still having that glint in his eye“, said Reed in a note announcing Perfect Drift’s death. While Reed and his family recover from the loss, we hope the horse finds endless pastures to roam in his journey into the unknown.

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Growing up, I didn’t really have an interest in Olympic sports, but it was always something intriguing. As I found the means and the opportunity to explore its world, I found sports like volleyball, and track & field to be something that had tons to offer instead of just scoring through kills and sprinting toward the finish line. Whether it is Nebraska Huskers dominating the court or Noah Lyles maintaining his winning spree on the tracks, these two sports never fail to serve adrenaline rush to their spectators.

Edited by:

BHUJAYA RAY CHOWDHURY

After Complications With Injury, Horse Racing Icon Perfect Drift Passes Away At 25

An illustrious career comes to an untimely end

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Difficult times at Stonecrest Farm