Steeplechase Star Pompeyo Dead

Steeplechase Star Pompeyo Dead

January 21,2002 — Augustin Stable’s Pompeyo, a finalist for the 2001 steeplechase Eclipse Award, was humanely destroyed Saturday, Jan. 19 due to complications from an
injury sustained in September.

The 8-year-old won both of his 2001 starts, including the Grade I Royal Chase at Keeneland, and joined stablemates Lord Zada and Praise The Prince
on the finalist list for the divisional championship. Eclipse Awards will be presented Feb. 18 in Miami, Fla. Pompeyo made his steeplechase debut in March 2000, and finished the year with five wins, more than $211,000 in
earnings and the NSA novice championship.

Trained by Sanna Neilson, Pompeyo looked even better in 2001 – winning a $50,000 novice stakes at Camden, S.C. and taking the $185,875 Royal Chase in late April. Shelved for the summer in favor of the fall championship races including the Breeders1 Cup Steeplechase, Pompeyo was kicked by another horse while training Sept. 15. Pompeyo sustained a fracture to his left elbow and a significant cut. Surgery stablized the bone, but an infection from the cut eventually damaged the joint and caused the horse1s death. Veterinarians removed a steel plate in further surgery this month, but Pompeyo’s condition worsened.

“His elbow joint had deteriorated, although the original fracture had healed,” Neilson said. “The vets were hoping that when they got the plate out his condition would improve, but that was not the case.”

Pompeyo, bred in Chile and imported by Augustin as a flat horse in 1998, won seven of 11 career jump starts and earned $353,280. On the flat, he won three of 15 starts (including the 1997 Chilean Derby) in his home country and one of seven in the U.S. before being converted to steeplechasing. Career totals (flat and jumps) include 11 wins in 33 starts and $528,325 in
earnings.

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