Lost In The Fog: Feb 2002 - Sep 2006; godspeed to you!

[A Splash of Color]

Just copying this from Foggy's other topic:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=Foggy

So far, about 100 folks from 4 countries have visited.


(edited to fix link... thanks, Louise!)

[lizathenag]

at least not for me.

[Louise]

Let's try this
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=Foggy

[Pronzini]

Horses can find almost as many ways to break your heart as they do to win it...:no:

[hitchinmygetalong]

Horses can find almost as many ways to break your heart as they do to win it...:no:

How true.

Jingles for Lost In The Fog and his many connections, and most especially for his wonderful owner, Harry Aleo.

[Glimmerglass]

San Francisco Chronicle 8-17-06 "Lost in the Fog in critical race. Career already finished, cancer threatens survival" (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/17/SPG66KK4IL1.DTL)

"About a week ago, I started noticing small things," Greg Gilchrist said. "His eating habits kind of changed, he seemed a little lethargic, and his temperature elevated about a half-degree to a degree and then back down again. One thing by itself is not an alarm, but when you put them all together, it is. We ran a bunch of tests and couldn't find anything, so we just kept monitoring him.

"At about 4 p.m. Sunday, my assistant called and said his temperature had gone up to 102, which is about 1 1/2 degrees over his normal. But at 102, you have to start thinking what if it goes higher? He was showing discomfort in his stomach, and you're thinking it's a classic case of colic."

-- snip --

But he ran the worst race of his career in a ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap on July 15 at Calder.

"Harry and I discussed it, and we said enough is enough," Gilchrist said. "He is so valuable as a stallion that it becomes a deal where you have everything to lose and nothing to gain by continuing to race him. Even winning races wouldn't necessarily do any good, except winning the Breeders' Cup Sprint. We were pointing to that race (Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs) for the end of the year, but the foot problems never went away. Things weren't going our way, and it's the time of the year when farms are interested in purchasing new sires."

So Lost in the Fog ended his racing career with 11 wins and a second in 14 starts for $978,099 in earnings.

"On Friday, they're planning on running a small camera through his abdomen to check and see if there is any more cancer," Gilchrist said. "We hope they don't find anything, and if they don't, you move on to the next step. The choices are chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. If you do nothing, the horse would make it maybe a year. Neither Dr. Smith nor I felt chemo or radiation was good, so that leads to one choice: an operation to remove his spleen."

Note photo of Harry and LITF: Photo by Mark Costantini (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=1&f=/c/a/2006/08/17/SPG66KK4IL1.DTL)

[VirginiaBred]

Good grief. I have been watching this thread, and reading the articles.

I am sick about this, and will definitely say a prayer for him. Jingling here in Virginia for LITF.

[Glimmerglass]

Regarding his retirement ...

Source: San Mateo 's the Daily Journal 8-17-06 (http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=62974)Ironically, Gilchrist said he and owner Harry J. Aleo agreed on Sunday morning — hours before Lost in the Fog became ill — that they would retire the 4-year-old colt from racing. They had planned to make the announcement Monday.

Regarding the medical team for the operation ...

Gilchrist. “The surgery is very complicated and we’re searching all over for the best doctor for the job. It’s not very common and it’s hard to find someone who takes spleens out of horses. A lot of people care about this horse and a lot of people are helping me find the best surgeon we can.”

[eggbutt]

Candles lit and curb chains are jingling.....

[CrzyCorgi]

My candle is lit as well!! Hang in there Foggy!

~Darci~

[Glimmerglass]

Inside Bay Area 8-17-06 (http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_4194454)At Davis, everything initially looked good, but Gilchrist and Lost in the Fog owner Harry J. Aleo opted for more tests. It was during a stomach sonogram a mass was found on the spleen.

"I was right there with the doctor Sunday night," said Gilchrist. "At the time, it was almost a relief they found something. At Golden Gate Fields we had been punching the air because we knew something was wrong, but the tests couldn't find anything. At least then we knew where the problem was."

"If he makes it through, he would probably go right to stud and live a normal life," said Gilchrist.

There's a chance Friday's examination could show the cancer has spread.

"Friday, hopefully they will call and say everything is fine, and we need to move on," said Gilchrist. "If not and the cancer has spread, we may be looking at the end of the road."

Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog had probably been carrying the cancer for a while. It just adds to the warrior image the horse has earned.

"Months or even up to a year," said Gilchrist of the time Lost in the Fog has had cancer. "He ran a lot of races while dealing with this. At the same time, it wasn't always this big — it has grown over a period of time. But it just makes you admire him that much more. It had to be tapping into his strength."

I could agree to the last statement more! I went to Saratoga last year expressly to see him run and I couldn't have been more elated then (or now) to say I saw him win the Kings Bishop Stakes so convincingly.

[StrawberryFelidos]

"I was right there with the doctor Sunday night," said Gilchrist. "At the time, it was almost a relief they found something. At Golden Gate Fields we had been punching the air because we knew something was wrong, but the tests couldn't find anything. At least then we knew where the problem was."

That's a difficult situation right there- you know something's wrong so you don't want the doctors to say everything's "fine" (it's not) but you'd have much rather heard them say something else rather than this. The mystery was bad, but the truth is scarier. I hope all of this means that their extra searching caught this nasty in time- left on its own, it would've only gotten nastier.

I only have a few questions:

Why wait until next week to operate? If he passes the tests on Friday, why not go in on the weekend? Maybe they need more time to find the surgeon?

And if he passes the surgery, won't he still need radiation to prevent recurrence (unless it's benign, as we hope)? I know Gilchrist said they didn't think radiation was "appropriate" but isn't it necessary for survival? It'd roast his swimmers, ahem, sure, but who needs 'em, anyway? ;) He can make more, I assume- men are so productive that way :winkgrin:

[Glimmerglass]

Why wait until next week to operate? If he passes the tests on Friday, why not go in on the weekend? Maybe they need more time to find the surgeon?

Your guess is as good as mine. While there is urgency I do believe they are still trying to secure an expert. Keep in mind LITF is at UC Davis, what if for example, the best Dr. for the procedure is at Cornell. Then what? Ship him to Ithaca or have the visiting Dr. use the UCDavis facility? So clearly some logistical issues are at hand as well.

Further on the medical elements:

The trainer noted that doctors have said surgery will likely be necessary for the horse to have a chance at a full, normal life. This type of operation is uncommon, and Gilchrist said they were looking for the best possible surgeon.

On Friday, a miniature camera will be inserted into the horse's abdomen to check for further signs of cancer, a disease that is relatively rare in horses,according to Dr. Gary Magdesian, chief of equine medicine at UCD's large animal clinic.

At roughly 37 by 25 centimeters (14-1/2 by 10 inches in circumference), the tumor is the size of a football, according to Magdesian.

"A horse can live a normal life without its spleen, (but) removing it is quite challenging," Magdesian said.

A large organ that usually measures about 18 inches long, the equine spleen serves many purposes and is integral to a horse's ability to race. Because the spleen is a reservoir of red blood cells, horses can contract their spleens to push up to 50% more oxygen into their bloodstream, giving them a burst of energy.

"We're looking everywhere around the world for the best possible surgeon, someone that may have expertise in this," Gilchrist said. "I'm approaching this no different than if this was my son or my father."-Source: BloodHorse 8-17-06 (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34885)

[BBowen]

What a shame. Prayers and jingles for Lost in the Fog.

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery:

Update 473: Barbara Livingston just put this album together of Lost in the Fog (http://www.barbaralivingston.com/gallery/album69). Her e-mail to me included the following:

Man, I LOVE Lost in the Fog. Mr. Gilchrist is as kind and generous an individual as I've ever met....
I just put this together. I'll try to add more, perhaps at the end of the weekend.

Thanks Barbara.

[YoungFilly]

Oh my god GlimmerGlass, you have followed this horse throughout his career, and this is his illustrious ending.

I have a horse that has cancer too, so it makes me so sad and frustrated to hear this.

Jingles to you, and Lost in the fog. :(

[Glimmerglass]

Dallas Fort-Worth Star Telegram 8-18-06 "Owner, trainer trying to save Lost in the Fog" (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/horse_racing/15304075.htm)

excerpt:

Yes, they did all the right things.

An 86-year-old veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, Aleo could have sold Lost in the Fog early last year for $2 million but didn't because he worried that the somebody might, in his words, "ruin" the horse.

And Gilchrist could have succumbed to feverish temptation and aimed the speedster at last year's Triple Crown series, but he didn't. After Lost in the Fog won the seven-furlong Swale Stakes, Gilchrist explained there was time for only one two-turn race before the Kentucky Derby. And it wouldn't be fair, he said, to run in such a demanding race a horse with such limited two-turn experience.

And so Lost in the Fog continued sprinting. And winning. The Bay Shore at Aqueduct, the Riva Ridge at Belmont, the Carry Back at Calder, the King's Bishop at Saratoga, the Bay Meadows Speed Handicap -- he won them all impressively to become for many the most exciting racehorse in America. But then he finished seventh as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

At the time, a Belmont surface that favored stretch-runners seemed to be the logical explanation for the poor effort. But even then, Gilchrist said that for whatever reason, Lost in the Fog just didn't seem himself that day. And he wasn't himself this year, winning once in three starts.

If Lost in the Fog has surgery next week to remove his spleen, Gilchrist said, it will be very complicated and risky. One of the few veterinarians who have experience with such a procedure, Sheila Laverty of the University of Montreal, will be the surgeon. Lost in the Fog's chances for survival, Gilchrist said, are about 50-50.

He needs to win just once more.

A 2003 article, when she was at the Univ of Montreal on arthritis in horses (http://www.iforum.umontreal.ca/ForumExpress/Archives/vol2no3en/article05_ang.html); I believe she is now with UC Davis per this list (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/VORL/people.html#clin%20train)
prior title .. Dr. Sheila Laverty, professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal
sheila.laverty[at]umontreal.ca

[Glimmerglass]

Dr. Sheila Laverty, DVM is certified under the ECVS: European College of Veterinary Surgeons (http://www.ecvs.org/); ECVS is closely associated with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the ACVS, which actually served as model for its organisation. She is also certified under the ACVS listing too (http://www.acvs.org/VeterinaryProfessionals/FindaSurgeon/index.cfm?flShowForm=0):

Sheila Laverty, MVB , Diplomate ACVS 1993
Organization: Universite de Montreal
Veterinary School: University College Dublin-Ireland 1980
Residency: University of California-Davis 1990

I hope LITF can speak French ;)

[SafeHorses]

I just read over at the Thoroughbred Champions message forum that Gilchrist was just on TVG saying that the cancer has spread and that they are taking LITF home and may put him down next week. I've been looking for confirmation of that on the usual sites, but so far I haven't found anything to back that up. Was anyone here watching TVG today?

[Janet]

Oh no!

[Glimmerglass]

With a very heavy heart I sadly post this news .. :(

Fog has incurable cancer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
August 18, 2006

Lost in the Fog, the Northern California-stabled Eclipse Award winner as the nation's top sprinter last year, has inoperable cancer that has spread through his body.

A large growth was found in the 4-year-old colt's spleen on Sunday, and doctors at the UC Davis Veterinarian Medical Teaching Hospital determined the cancer had spread after doing a laparoscopy on Friday.

Lost in the Fog will be brought home to Golden Gate Fields in Albany to spend his final days.

[vineyridge]

From The Bloodhorse:
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34925

Really nice story

[Slewdledo]

Goddamn. This is awful.

[Freebird!]

:cry: :cry: I have no words, only...:cry: :cry:

[dana1011]

:( :( :(

[Jazzy's mom]

I don't follow racing much, but what a stunningly beautiful horse he is. So very sad. I hope his last days are peaceful.

[Spoilsport]

Oh, no, I am so sad I am shaking :cry: :cry:

I can't even fathom how much heart this great young horse had to keep on going when the cancer was metastasizing :sadsmile: :sadsmile: ! He is beautiful. I hope his last days are peaceful and that he understands who much he is loved.

My condolences to everyone.

[Slewdledo]

I've seen few horses with such a deceptive stride as what he has. This poor, poor boy.

[hitchinmygetalong]

"We'll keep him at the stall for a week or 10 days," the trainer said. "This would be the best thing to do, get him back with his groom. I just couldn't leave him up there to be euthanized and thrown in the bone yard."

:( :cry: :cry:

Oh, this is just too sad.

God speed, Lost In The Fog. God gave you speed. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Prayers and hugs go out to his groom, his owner, his trainer, and the rest of his loving family.

[War Admiral]

That's so sad. :(

[VirginiaBred]

I am heart sick for the family of Lost In The Fog.

[genevieveg17]

I am so sad. I had really hoped there would be a better outcome for the poor guy.
I think that bringing him back 'home' to be cared for in his final days is a very compassionate thing to do.
Genevieve

[FLAbreds]

I am completely saddened to hear this news. :( LITF is one horse I've followed from the very beginning and had a chance to see him at the Dodd's when he was on a little R&R after the Breeders Cup but the timing just wasn't right. I was praying and jingling hard that their would be a happy ending to this story but alas that won't be the case. Thank goodness LITF has compassionate connections and that they will bring him back to his home. He certainly deserves that.

God speed, LITF. You will never be forgotten. :sadsmile:

[Beezer]

I was heartbroken when I heard ... and the immediately thought of you, Glimmer, because I know how much you like this horse.

What class acts the trainer and owner are.

May Lost in the Fog enjoy much pampering in the time he has left.

Godspeed, once last time, for this grand Thoroughbred.

[JER]

Greg Gilchrist and Harry Aleo are very brave, generous and kind. I hope LITF enjoys his last days at GGF.

[VigorsMom]

This news is very hard to take. I am just heartbroken.

[Glimmerglass]

Yep, Beezer, the news really does break my heart. Just a year ago I was getting ready to go to Spa first and foremost to see him in the undercard of the Travers Day - the Kings Bishop. Now a year later its not just him retiring but likely gone for good in a few weeks.

The comments [from this Friday eve's press conference] straight from the heart of Greg and Harry: Courier-Journal (http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060818/SPORTS08/60818045/1002/SPORTS)

Gilchrist said that as he drove the hour from UC-Davis back to the track Friday, he decided to bring Lost in the Fog home in what essentially is a hospice situation.

“We know the end is inevitable and we certainly don’t want the horse to go through more than he needs to,” he said. “But if he can have another week, 10 days, two weeks of quality life ... bring him back to his old stall, get him cleaned up and pamper him and he can be with his own people. I just couldn’t really walk away from him up there and think about having him euthanized tomorrow or the next day and thrown to the bone yard. We’ll bring him back here and do all we can for him. We certainly won’t take it too far.”

[Dr. Don Smith] estimated it could be a week to a month before Lost in the Fog’s condition would dictate putting the colt down. Gilchrist said, at that time, the colt will be cremated with his ashes interred at his birthplace of Southern Chase Farm in Ocala, Fla.

Gilchrist said he has to leave town for a few days to attend a horse auction, but vowed, “When this horse is euthanized, I will be there. I’ve been through everything else with him. I won’t let him go by himself.”

[genevieveg17]

Everyone associated with Foggy is such a class act. I cried when reading the quotes from Gilchrist. So incredibly sad.

[2Dogs]

aww shit. sorry, I had to say it. just breaking my heart.
why the super ones, why?

[98neigh]

that is just heartbreaking. steph

[MsM]

Poor boy, struggling with the cancer growing inside! So young for something like this. You truly never know.
If anything good has come from his and Barbaro's situations, it may be that more of the public has seen the human, humane, caring side of the owners, grooms, jocks, and trainers. All involved have been wonderful under very difficult situations. :(

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery:

Update 481: Russell Baze just called back so here is our interview (what a class act btw):

I worked him all but once or twice since he was a two year old. I rode him in every race he ran bar one. He was a real genuine horse to be around. He was the best horse I have ridden throughout his career. He did everything, against allcomers. His temperament, ability and enthusiasm were unmatched. He had natural speed. He was so quick out of the gate, but he did not need the lead. He had a lot of natural speed, you could sit back and relax, switch leads in the turn, and keep going (when most horse were stopping). He would ship everywhere to run. Just a very rare racehorse.
Greg (trainer) and Harry (owner) have done an exemplary job with this horse. Throughout the horse's career he has always given his best, now looking back its amazing how well he ran in Churchill (his win this year), knowing what we know now about the horse. It's all very sad, but he is shipping back to Golden Gate and I will be fortunate to get to see him one more time. He has really been important to me as you can imagine.

I asked Russell what his barn name is: The Fog
I asked about any idiosynchrosies: he's agressive, and displays it, especially before races trying to bite the pony on the way to the gate
Update 480: I just spoke to Russell Baze, Lost in the Fog's jockey (who also happened to ride seven winners today). I will post our interview tomorrow (once I have typed it up and run it by Russell). I thought I would highlight this comment from Bubbranch, timestamp: 11:28 pm:

I got to watch his work at Golden Gate Fields in 2005 prior to shipping to Belmont for Breeder's Cup. The track was closed so he could work alone, and a ton of employees spread out along the rail to watch. By chance an acquaintance of mine saw me in the public box and said come on over here, we picked out a spot on the rail, and then Hary Aleo and his daughter came along and stood right next to us, right next to me. If I had burped I would have bumped elbows with him.
Will never forget how I could feel - physically, like a tingle transmitted - his excitement, pride, and affection for this horse, and I got a great taste of what it must be like to have a truly spectacular horse. Unforgettable. I hope that feeling never goes away for him, and that he's comforted by that and everyone's sincere support.
Signed very sadly,
Bubb in California

And finally, Lost in the Fog by Barbara Livingston (http://www.barbaralivingston.com/gallery/album69), again.
Update 479: I am attending the NTRA conference, scheduled for 6:45 pm re: Lost in the Fog (thanks Ed Fountaine, New York Post for alerting me to the conference). A transcript will be available on monday. LITF's trainer and vet are online for the teleconference.
Vet:
Unfortunately two more tumours in his abdomen, and another very large tumour along the roof of his back, about the size of a football (not that shape). This one cannot be removed surgically. His condition is terminal.
Trainer:
He is not in a lot of pain, he just gets uncomfortable at times. The end is inevitable, and do not want the horse to go through things he does not need to. Want to provide some final quality of life, pampered and cared for with his own people around him. He won't take it too far. Mr. Aleo (owner), Harry is a tough old guy, but this is bringing him to his knees. LITF is a hell of a warrior.
I typed the above as I was listening, I missed some stuff.
Thanks Alex Fleming, who reported this in the comments, timestamp 10: 20 pm and alerted us to the situation:

Gilchrist was on TVG at 6pm EST and announced he will be brought back to GGF in his stall with his groom to keep him comfortable during his last week. He did not want to euthanize him up at Davis where he would be all alone. He will be cremated and be buried at Ocala Florida where he started his life.
I am sorry, I watched LITF in his debut, and on two different occasions. I am borderline obsessed with my favorite horse, and I am devastated.

[Louise]

My heart breaks for this wonderful young horse, and for all of those around him, sho cared for him so well, and always put him first.

[spacely]

How awful. I am glad he'll be pampered in his final days.:cry:

[Wanderluster]

What a horrible thing for Harry Aleo to take to his grave. To have owned this once in a lifetime horse, to turn down the incredible offers, and to stand by as he deteriorates. LITF was a champion of no comparison but I can only think about the human suffering that his loss will impact. I am so very sorry for all involved. :(

[Boston Chicken]

How very sad :cry: I just read from the beginning of the thread - he's a very special horse.

[Laurierace]

What a horrible thing for Harry Aleo to take to his grave. To have owned this once in a lifetime horse, to turn down the incredible offers, and to stand by as he deteriorates. LITF was a champion of no comparison but I can only think about the human suffering that his loss will impact. I am so very sorry for all involved. :(


I couldn't disagree more. I can't think of anything to be prouder of than wanting the horse more than wanting a ton of cash. And then seeing that he gets the best of everything until his final moments. To ensure that during every second of this animal's short life, he didn't want for anything. Believe it or not, its not all about the money and the people who won't be getting anymore money. Thank God that life isn't that shallow. If you can't take pride in a life well lived, what can you take pride in? You don't take your wallet with you when you go, so it doesn't matter how much is in it.

[Showponymom Aefvue Mid Atlantic Division]

So sad, it is always the good ones. :cry: I know his final days will be filled with love and he will let them know when it is time. God Bless all involved.

[merrygoround]

A black candle for LIF and his people.

[msrobin]

I am speechless.
Crying now he was so awesome.

So they cannot remove the spleen after all ?

[Seal Harbor]

What a horrible thing for Harry Aleo to take to his grave. To have owned this once in a lifetime horse, to turn down the incredible offers, and to stand by as he deteriorates. LITF was a champion of no comparison but I can only think about the human suffering that his loss will impact. I am so very sorry for all involved. :(

He is doing his best by the horse, that is all that counts. He turned down all the money offered because he didn't want anyone to "ruin" him. Chew him up and spit him out - he wasn't going to let that happen to The Fog. The horse was not for sale. He can be proud to have owned him, known him and that he did the right thing for the horse in the end. While LITF's life has been short it appears that what he needed always came first, even before the cancer. His owner and connections are a class act.

Now if they were all afforded the same treatment by all trainers and owners, that would be the best of all worlds....

[RainyDayRide]

A moving tribute to the Fog and to his owner in today's San Francisco Chronicle - Finish line comes too soon (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/19/MNGBGKLP851.DTL).

They both captured the imagination and heart of this foggy city some time ago.

[VirginiaBred]

Oh My God. That story made me CRY so much.

[Laurierace]

Seriously, does anyone really think if he had sold the horse that the Aleo would be chuckling all the way to the bank while muttering.....suckers? That is just freaking sick and at least in this instance has no shred of truth.

[Daydream Believer]

What an awful shame. Is there any chance they might be able to breed him to a few mares in the next few weeks? I know the TB breeding season is over, but surely considering he only has a few weeks at best, they'd short cycle a few nice open mares and try. This horse sounds like a class act. It would be neat to see him leave some offspring.

[hackinaround]

I was thinking the same thing Daydream: either breed him or at the very least collect him and freeze just in case the JC ever changes its mind?? It would be a shame not only to lose such a great horse but to lose any legacy that he might leave behind in his offspring.

[Seal Harbor]

What would the point be? Can't register the babies. I seriously doubt the Jockey Club will ever allow AI. Even with DNA testing.

I seriously doubt that they are going to bother doing something like that, right now it's all about the horse, keeping him comfortable and happy not about the owners or the connections.

[Oakstable]

I agree with daydream that he should have some mares to breed. His genes need to be passed on whether it is a racehorse or a sporthorse.

Any idea how a cancer would start in a young horse?

Sally

[StrawberryFelidos]

Any idea how a cancer would start in a young horse?

Genetics. That's what pops to my mind. Unfortunate genes that were waiting in the wings since day one. He was never destined to grow old :cry:

I do not think that I would want him collected or used as a breeder in his last days. This being a vicious cancer starting in such a young animal, I would hate to see it end up being passed on to others, even if just a few offspring were affected that would be too many. Sometimes nature has its harsh way of controlling these serious diseases- by taking its victims before they're old enough to pass it on :(

He's a beautiful animal in his own. He will be missed.

[VirginiaBred]

Do you think this would be passed, since everything I've read says it's so rare?

Are both parents still around? I would breed that mare back!

Lost In The Fog Pedigree:

http://www.pedigreequery.com/lost+in+the+fog2

[ElonGrad1997]

God bless that horse. What a year. It's just not the kind of news anybody wants or needs. Here's to a great colt, and let's hope he goes peacefully and without pain. :cry: :cry:

[On the Farm]

What would the point be?

I'm with you Seal. Sometimes I'm very troubled by what I read on the web. LITF has dropped enough condition that the owner doesn't want him paraded in public and the only thing some folks worry about is whether or not he can become a sperm donor in his final days. Amazing.

[Pronzini]

I'm with you Seal. Sometimes I'm very troubled by what I read on the web. LITF has dropped enough condition that the owner doesn't want him paraded in public and the only thing some folks worry about is whether or not he can become a sperm donor in his final days. Amazing.

Some of what I've been reading-- elsewhere-- on the fan forums reflects a lack of knowledge about horses in general. There's this notion that Fog should just be turned out in a field alone or in a field with mares or buddies or something. When the last time he was in a field? When the last time he was in a herd situation? Change is stressful for horses. Isn't it better for him to go back to the life he knows?

[Sannois]

If he is not in pain,are they going to let him live out his life as long as possible?? However long that is?? What is the time frame.
:no: :no: :no: :no: :(

[Kenike]

So very sad....I am just so sick about this!
I'm in the no-breeding camp. Too big a chance of genetics in this cancer, and, quite frankly, why do it when he should just be left comfy and with a high quality of life? It's a shame, but not worth the chances or vanity.

Why all the great ones?

[Seal Harbor]

Which is why he is going home to be with his groom and spend his last few days being pampered and loved on.

Even his trainer said - that he just wanted to get him back to his groom. That that would be the best course of action. Not to let him be euthanized at UC-D alone. Now that is caring for the horse's emotional and mental health and allowing him to be where he will be relaxed and happy for his last days.

Obviously this horse is loved for who he is.

[tradewind]

How very sad for all involved...I have had dogs die of lympho it is very quick..It is genetic in some instances(notably golden retrievers) but not in all..There is no firm genetic research for all breeds or species..The thought that he would be in any condition to be collected or bred is absurd..It is best that he be with his groom and people who truly care about him, and that his last memories be of his favorite foods and his favorite people..I hope all his connections take comfort in the fact that they always kept his best interests in heart..

[Glimmerglass]

There's this notion that Fog should just be turned out in a field alone or in a field with mares or buddies or something. When the last time he was in a field?

The last time I was aware of him going out was after the Breeders' Cup when he went back to Florida, had his shoes pulled off and was given some some rest and relaxation. I fully agree that isn't as per say what he needs now.

Regarding breeding, I concur that some people quickly lament the loss of a horse seemingly more so from the breeding perspective. A colt actually needs to be trained before he starts his role in the shed. Racing colts are kept in line not to want to act on urges. With a week to go I would think its utterly wrong to want to get something - anything in fact - from him. Be it a vile of his 'mojo' or ask him for a quick session.

Harry, by all accounts, would read anyone the riot act if they asked him (even with the best of intentions) to try that. Even under auspices of "preserving his legacy", he'd say simply: that horse doesn't owe anyone a g*ddamn thing.

Harry and Greg have other horses of note, Frisco Star and Victorina, who will continue the stable.

Cloud Break, his dam, and Lost Soldier, sire, both are alive so if someone wants to set up another date they can but I truly believe that a horse's personality and drive are unique, thus there will be only one Lost In the Fog.

[Glimmerglass]

A moving tribute to the Fog and to his owner in today's San Francisco Chronicle - Finish line comes too soon (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/19/MNGBGKLP851.DTL).

They both captured the imagination and heart of this foggy city some time ago.Thank you, very much for posting this - it was very sincere and the SF papers and community truly was behind this horse.

I think Russ was riding for a purpose and it showed with a perfect 7 wins for 7 starts on the card yesterday (FRI) at Golden Gate Fields, which matches the record he set in 1992.

Baze goes 7-for-7 -- has nine wins in a row
Larry Stumes, San Francisco Chronicle

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Russell Baze won with all seven of his mounts Friday at the San Mateo County Fair at Bay Meadows, equaling the Northern California record for victories on a single program that he set at Golden Gate Fields on April 16, 1992.

The Hall of Fame jockey won with Real Lift ($4.40) in the first race, Dons Champion ($3.60) in the second, Lemaire ($3.80) in the third, One of a King ($7.40) in the fourth, Tami's Gold Bar ($6.40) in the fifth, Gold Bankers Gold ($5.80) in the seventh and Underhill ($6.40) in the eighth.

Baze also won with his final two mounts Thursday to give him a nine-race winning streak going into today's program.

"Looking at the (Daily Racing) Form, I thought I'd win a couple today or maybe three," Baze said. "Some of the horses jumped up and ran better than they looked on paper in the same races that some others didn't run as well as it looked on paper."

Baze, of course, was the regular jockey for Lost in the Fog, who has been diagnosed with incurable cancer.

"It's really sad that such a great horse has such an unhappy end," he said. "My prayers go out to Harry (owner Aleo) and Greg (trainer Gilchrist)." Link to SFGate (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/08/19/SPG3NKLN1P1.DTL)

[charlieo]

There are times when I am glad that horses live in the present. The Fog will go back to his life, as he knows it, for as long as he is comfortable. We will miss him, but his last days will be "home". How kind and thoughtful of his people. Godspeed, fella.

[hunt_jumpfl]

Yep, Beezer, the news really does break my heart. Just a year ago I was getting ready to go to Spa first and foremost to see him in the undercard of the Travers Day - the Kings Bishop. Now a year later its not just him retiring but likely gone for good in a few weeks.

The comments [from this Friday eve's press conference] straight from the heart of Greg and Harry: Courier-Journal (http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060818/SPORTS08/60818045/1002/SPORTS)


I am so saddened to hear about LITF. But I am glad to hear they are taking him home to pamper him in his final days and let the people who love and care for him say goodbye. I lost my first mare to cancer. While losing a horse (especially one so special) is never easy, there is comfort eventually in knowing that it is time and being there to say goodbye.:cry: :cry: :cry: I was lucky enough to have several months with my mare, and while it broke me to say goodbye I am now thankful that I had that extra time. My thoughts are with the loved ones of this great colt.:cry:

[CrzyCorgi]

Poor boy, struggling with the cancer growing inside! So young for something like this. You truly never know.
If anything good has come from his and Barbaro's situations, it may be that more of the public has seen the human, humane, caring side of the owners, grooms, jocks, and trainers. All involved have been wonderful under very difficult situations. :(
My thoughts exactly MsM :cry: This is soo awful :cry: How wonderful of them all to want to take him home and make his last days peaceful! Racing needs more people like LITF & Barbaro's.

Notice my quote at the bottom from Roy Jackson.

~Darci~

[Madeline]

He had to be fast, he didn't have long...

[lisann]

My heart goes out to all of LOTF's connections. He was a superb race horse. I really enjoyed watching him run. May he have a few more comfortable days, surrounded in love.

[Timex]

what a shame..... :no:

[Louise]

I just went to the site, to light a candle for both Barbaro and Lost in the Fog. The number of candles lit for "The Fog" is rapidly dwindling. Please take the time to go and light one or two, both to light Fog's way to the Rainbow Bridge, and to offer comfort and support to those around him who love him so much. http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=foggy

[ASB Stars]

Perhaps what burns so brightly is destined to only burn for a short period of time...this horse gave everything to those who asked it of him- and seemed to do so with such a glad heart.

This situation has made me think of all of the times we have a horse who isn't doing quite right, and we wonder what we could change to fix it- if only they could talk!

It is a terrible shame that he ran with this- but I am so impressed, and touched by the deep concern and absolute dedication to this horse that all of the connections are showing.

Godspeed, Foggy...perhaps that is the only kind of speed you have ever not possessed of yourself...

[Glimmerglass]

So hard to say goodbye to Fog

Living 'pampered' last days

By Sherry Ross
NY Daily News, Sunday Aug 20, 2006 (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/444967p-374744c.html)

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Last year, the Travers was won by Flower Alley, but the day was won by Lost in the Fog.

Racing in the King's Bishop on the Travers Day undercard, the then-unbeaten 3-year-old colt with the modest connections and the impeccable credentials was the people's horse. Fans wore Lost in the Fog hats, carried handmade signs and lined the paddock railing to snap pictures or just get a glimpse of the smallish bay colt whose only mission in life was to run like blazes.

The word that Lost in the Fog is dying with a rare form of cancer was made even more poignant by his trainer Greg Gilchrist's decision to bring the colt home from the University of California-Davis veterinary school, about an hour's van ride from his base at Golden Gate Fields near San Francisco.

"I'm a little selfish," said Gilchrist, understandably emotional about losing a horse of a lifetime after more than 30 years in the business. "I wanted to bring him back."

Voted the champion sprinter last year despite losing to Silver Train in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Lost in the Fog was found to have a massive tumor under his spine after exploratory surgery Friday to determine if cancer had spread from a recently discovered tumor in his spleen.

Rather than make the immediate decision to have him euthanized in a sterile and foreign environment, Gilchrist said he will let Lost in the Fog live a pampered last few days surrounded by the people who have cared for him all his life before having him put to sleep with a fatal injection.

One other notable racehorse, the influential stallion Bold Ruler (sire of Secretariat) was euthanized after battling throat cancer at age 17. Cancer is so unusual in horses that UC-Davis is the only veterinary school in the country with a comprehensive equine oncology program, but Lost in the Fog was taken there only by coincidence, since Gilchrist had originally thought last week that the colt was experiencing a mild bout of colic.

The local hero gained a national following thanks to a carefully crafted cross-country campaign that saw Lost in the Fog race in Arizona, Florida and Kentucky as well as California and New York. His owner, crusty 86-year-old San Francisco businessman Harry Aleo, resisted the temptation to race his short-distance specialist in the Triple Crown races, and also rejected numerous offers to buy the Florida-bred colt.

"Harry's a tough old guy," Gilchrist said after breaking the news to Aleo. "But this is bringing him to his knees."

Also ....

Lost in the Fog to return home Sunday, no public appearance planned

A spokesman for Bay Meadows Race Course said Saturday that Lost in the Fog was scheduled to return to trainer Greg Gilchrist's barn at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday. [Additional tests at UCD were to be taken Saturday]

Tom Ferrall, publicity director for Bay Meadows and Golden Gate, said that at present no public viewing of Lost in the Fog is in the works, and visits will most likely be limited to his racing family at Golden Gate Fields.

[texang73]

Aw, what a true shame about Foggy. I just lit a candle for him.

An amazing horse, he will be missed.:( :sadsmile:

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery thread: Lost in the Fog returns home (http://www.drf.com/news/article/77762.html). Excerpt:

Dr. Don Smith, the colt's veterinarian, said the Eclipse Award sprinter was his normal, aggressive self when he returned to the barn and had eaten well after his arrival.

[msrobin]

I just lit a candle for the Fog. Watching the light flicker makes you wanna cry.

Everyone please light a new candle for him.

[CrzyCorgi]

I just lit a few candles myself....

This is soooo heart breaking...

:cry:

~Darci~

[Wanderluster]

I couldn't disagree more. I can't think of anything to be prouder of than wanting the horse more than wanting a ton of cash. And then seeing that he gets the best of everything until his final moments. To ensure that during every second of this animal's short life, he didn't want for anything. Believe it or not, its not all about the money and the people who won't be getting anymore money. Thank God that life isn't that shallow. If you can't take pride in a life well lived, what can you take pride in? You don't take your wallet with you when you go, so it doesn't matter how much is in it.

That is PRESISLEY my point. That his owner cared less about the money and more about the horse . How many have done the right thing for the animal ? In a sport based upon a commercial value there are so few owners and trainers that live up to the romantic dream of DOING THE RIGHT THING in spite of the financial implications. I'm heartsick for Harry and congratulate and admire his choices.

[CeeDreams]

I attended a Thoroughbred rescue/retirement fundraiser last month at Del Mar Country Club. Someone was selling horse shoes of popular horses to benefit the rescue/retirement organization. The shoes were perfectly shined with their names engraved on the back. In the middle of my shoe are orange rhinestones representing the colors of the stable. The horse shoe I have is from Lost In The Fog.

[witherbee]

I just saw this thread - so very sad! Such a game horse and kind, loyal owners. I feel for them to go through the bittersweet last days, but it's wonderful to see them doing what's right for their colt.

I'm sure that breeding him is the furthest thing from thier minds right now - they just want to keep him comfortable, and that would not (not to mentione the logistics and timeframe).

How sad and I hope LITF enjoys his last days in peace.

[VirginiaBred]

Yes, I not have changed my thinking from "breed him if possible" to just leave him be and give him continued unconditional love, as it seems he has always gotten.

This is a horrible situation when an animal you adore is going to be put down. I am praying for all involved.

[Glimmerglass]

Daily Racing Form Tue Aug 22, 2006 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/77799.html)
Lost in the Fog update
By CHUCK DYBDAL

Lost in the Fog, who was diagnosed with inoperable cancer at at the University of California at Davis last week, remains his normal, aggressive self in his stall at Golden Gate Fields.

The 2005 Eclipse Award champion sprinter even took a nip at his veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Lord, when she visited during routine rounds of the barn Tuesday morning.

Trainer Greg Gilchrist, currently at the yearling sale in Ocala, Fla., is scheduled to return to California Wednesday night.

Gilchrist's staff are carrying on in a professional manner, but the mood at the barn is undeniably subdued

[Kenike]

Still so torn up over this. I truly hope he has some wonderful last days at home with those who love him and that he passes with the most pampering he could ever imagine.

Poor Foggy.... :(

[TBpalsx3]

I have lit so many candles for Barbaro and now Fog that I need a flame thrower! I am so sad for the Fog and his owner, trainer, his dear groom and all his fans. This is so heartbreaking. Then the Barbaro updates are so uplifting. Thank goodness for that! All the horse news is so stressful right now along with so many other situations in the world. I am lighting my own candles for a change in the horse karma and that we all start getting positive news no matter where we are. Time for some joyful news!!

[mbj]

Lit some candles, said some thank-yous and some prayers for the wonderful boy. So very sad.

[lizathenag]

GGF opens this Friday. wish I could see him once again. . .

[AstonMartin]

Oh wow, what a beautiful story!

(finish line came too soon)

VirginiaBred, i agree, it had me crying by the end, such a touching story and such loving owners. If anyone ever doubts that there is alot of love for horses in racing, that story would reaffirm faith.

God speed you Fog, and safe journey when your time comes crossing over the bridge. Jingles of course for all those involved with him.

[mighty mite]

This sounds very hopeful!!!


Lost in the Fog 'Not Done Yet,' Gilchrist Says
by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: 8/24/2006 5:17:04 PM
Last Updated: 8/24/2006 5:26:34 PM


Lost in the Fog wins the 2005 King's Bishop at Saratoga.
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Less than a week ago, trainer Greg Gilchrist said that it was "the bottom of the ninth" for his champion sprinter Lost in the Fog, diagnosed with terminal cancer. But at his Golden Gate Fields stable Thursday, the rally caps were out.
Returning to his barn after spending the previous five days in Florida for the Ocala Breeders' yearling auction, Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog is being treated in his stall with medications designed to shrink two football sized tumors found in his spleen and beneath his spine along his back, as well as a third, smaller mass. The trainer said he was encouraged by the 4-year-old colt's feistiness.

"This horse is not done yet," he said. "We are trying to shrink the tumors if that would be possible. If we can shrink them 50 percent, there's a chance we can remove them (surgically). It's a long shot but long shots happen all the time in this game. It's something to hang on to. We're not dead in the water yet."

It was almost exactly a year ago that an unbeaten Lost in the Fog romped to a 4 3/4-length win in the King's Bishop (gr. I) at Saratoga for his ninth straight win to give Gilchrist and owner Harry Aleo their first grade I triumph. Lost in the Fog stretched his winning streak to 10 before losing for the first time in the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Belmont Park on Oct. 29.

Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog, who returned to the stable Aug. 20 after a week at the University of California at Davis' Large Animal Clinic, is "doing fine and holding his weight well."

He said the popular colt with the oddball blaze has been given walks outside his stall and has been happily enjoying the carrots, apples and other things sent to the barn by admirers. The get-well cards, e-mail wishes and flower bouquets have been overwhelming, Gilchrist said.

"I finally took all the flowers up to the (administration) office and gave them to all the girls there," he said.

Lost in the Fog, while being maintained on low doses of pain reliever, "is doing much better than we thought he would," Gilchrist said. "He's in good spirits."

The trainer had originally planned to allow the horse to live out his final days in familiar surroundings and to be cared for by those that know him best. Without giving into what he called "false hope," he now thinks it could be some time before a decision to euthanize the colt might be necessary.

"He still has quality life ahead of him," Gilchrist said.

In particular, he said, the horse has enjoyed being reunited with his favorite human, groom Pascual Garcia.

"Everybody is glad that he's back," Gilchrist said of the atmosphere at the stable. "Everybody realizes the situation. But I won't let anybody get down. I refuse to allow any negativity."

The colt, displaying his usual aggressiveness, certainly isn't feeling any.

"We were outside when he tried to take my arm off this morning," Gilchrist said.

[TBpalsx3]

Time to light as many candles as possible and send as many jingles as possible for a miracle for Fog. Prayers and good vibes headed to California for Fog and his humans!!

[VirginiaBred]

From The Barbaro Recovery Thread:

OK, they are trying: Lost in the Fog 'Not Done Yet,' Gilchrist Says (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35015), excerpt:

Returning to his barn after spending the previous five days in Florida for the Ocala Breeders' yearling auction, Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog is being treated in his stall with medications designed to shrink two football sized tumors found in his spleen and beneath his spine along his back, as well as a third, smaller mass. The trainer said he was encouraged by the 4-year-old colt's feistiness. "This horse is not done yet," he said. "We are trying to shrink the tumors if that would be possible. If we can shrink them 50 percent, there's a chance we can remove them (surgically). It's a long shot but long shots happen all the time in this game. It's something to hang on to. We're not dead in the water yet."

and

Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog, who returned to the stable Aug. 20 after a week at the University of California at Davis' Large Animal Clinic, is "doing fine and holding his weight well."
He said the popular colt with the oddball blaze has been given walks outside his stall and has been happily enjoying the carrots, apples and other things sent to the barn by admirers. The get-well cards, e-mail wishes and flower bouquets have been overwhelming, Gilchrist said.
"I finally took all the flowers up to the (administration) office and gave them to all the girls there," he said.

and

The trainer had originally planned to allow the horse to live out his final days in familiar surroundings and to be cared for by those that know him best. Without giving into what he called "false hope," he now thinks it could be some time before a decision to euthanize the colt might be necessary.
"He still has quality life ahead of him," Gilchrist said.
In particular, he said, the horse has enjoyed being reunited with his favorite human, groom Pascual Garcia.
"Everybody is glad that he's back," Gilchrist said of the atmosphere at the stable. "Everybody realizes the situation. But I won't let anybody get down. I refuse to allow any negativity."

[cvl]

Wow! Some encouraging news! Time to start candle lighting!

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=foggy

[Oakstable]

Light up those candles!

I have had two girlfriends develop lung cancer and both of them lived past what was predicted for them. Attitude has so much to do with how this plays out.

I like the idea of shrinking those tumors down to a size they can be removed.

My husband had stage 3 cancer and that was 16 years ago.

[Glimmerglass]

As cited by other postings, there is an effort underway (albeit premature to know if it will result in favorable results) to not give up and simply let LITF succumb to death - not for the horse that fought hard on the track!

TB TImes 8-24-06 "Lost in the Fog undergoing treatment to shrink tumors" (http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=65984&subsec=1)

Champion sprinter Lost in the Fog is receiving oral and injected treatments designed to shrink the tumors in his spleen and along his spine, and trainer Greg Gilchrist has not given up hope for the Lost Soldier colt

Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog will undergo a sonogram in 10 to 12 days to check on his progress. In the meantime, Lost in the Fog is living in his stall, eating, and walking twice a day, much like a normal horse.

"The horse is doing well. He's not in any pain," Gilchrist said. "He's eating well, and he's holding his weight pretty darn well for a horse in his condition. He's not the happiest I've ever seen him, but he's not a depressed horse."

Here is to fighting the good fight! :)

Liza, I really do hope that Lost In the Fog will be brought out during the GGF meet to give the fans - and him - an opportunity to connect if only one last time. Not a race but perhaps a parade past the grandstand. By doing so would hurt him or be exploitive of him IMHO.

[Kenike]

Wonderful news! As long as there's hope, there is always a fight :)

Lit my candle for him

[luvmytbs]

There are some extremely determined horses fighting for life at this time. All the prayers are with both Barbaro and LITF.

[Fancy]

From The Barbaro REcovery:

"This horse is not done yet," he said. "We are trying to shrink the tumors if that would be possible. If we can shrink them 50 percent, there's a chance we can remove them (surgically). It's a long shot but long shots happen all the time in this game. It's something to hang on to. We're not dead in the water yet." Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog, who returned to the stable Aug. 20 after a week at the University of California at Davis' Large Animal Clinic, is "doing fine and holding his weight well."
Good deal, folks. LITF and Gilchrist are doing their part. Now we have to do ours. Lets get some candles lit and start the energy flowing. Perhaps we should decide on just ONE name for LITF's candles--there were about 600 candles under Fog and also Foggy. To divide is NOT to conquer, in this case. I vote for foggy, or LITF. Somebody pick and let's roll!

[VirginiaBred]

From The Barbaro Recovery thread:

More coverage on Lost in the Fog: Lost in the Fog undergoing treatment to shrink tumors (http://thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=65984&subsec=1), which includes the following:

"He's doing well. I was just giving him a handful of carrots a minute ago," Gilchrist said from his barn at Golden Gate Fields on Thursday evening. "We are treating him to try to shrink the tumors he has.
"If we could do that, they would become operable, and then he would have a chance. We've gone to a little more drastic measures using a few drugs that we didn't have before."
Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog will undergo a sonogram in ten to 12 days to check on his progress. In the meantime, Lost in the Fog is living in his stall, eating, and walking twice a day, much like a normal horse.

[Frog]

I think the great part of this, no matter how long Lost In The Fog stays with us, is that he is keeping his same routine. Minus the galloping, I guess. But I'm sure he is very accustomed to walking the shedrow, getting fed along with the other horses, bathing in the washrack, having his feet picked etc. He gets to be a normal racehorse! There's something touching about that. Like the last time I saw Cigar at the KHP- it's amazing and sweet that he's just a horse. To himself, Lost In The Fog isn't a champion with cancer- he's just a horse!

[FLAbreds]

This is encouraging news. So in response I have my candles lit and am jingling hard for The Fog. :yes:

[Glimmerglass]

I did like these remarks from Greg in Bloodhorse 8/25 (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35015):

The trainer had originally planned to allow the horse to live out his final days in familiar surroundings and to be cared for by those that know him best. Without giving into what he called "false hope," he now thinks it could be some time before a decision to euthanize the colt might be necessary.

"He still has quality life ahead of him," Gilchrist said.

In particular, he said, the horse has enjoyed being reunited with his favorite human, groom Pascual Garcia.

"Everybody is glad that he's back," Gilchrist said of the atmosphere at the stable. "Everybody realizes the situation. But I won't let anybody get down. I refuse to allow any negativity."

[YoungFilly]

Thats fantastic news!! Good Boy! Does anyone know what the medicine is that they are using to shrink the cancer? :)

[Coree]

I just came across this ... and absolutely incredible and inspiring story ... many, many jingles for Lost in the Fog

[Glimmerglass]

Thats fantastic news!! Good Boy! Does anyone know what the medicine is that they are using to shrink the cancer? :)
Per the Daily Racing Forum (8-25) (http://www.drf.com/news/article/77912.html):
According to Gilchrist, Lost in the Fog is being treated with the steroid dexamethasone in an attempt to shrink the tumor, "and other stuff to build up his immune system," Gilchrist said.

Lost in the Fog also is receiving low doses of the painkiller Banamine.

"They're doing a culture on the biopsy, trying to find out what kind of lymphoma he has, to see what other drugs might help," Gilchrist said.

Dexamethasone: source from Wikipedia (so take it with only a fair degree of accuracy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexamethasone)

See also this entry from Wedgewood Pharmacy: Trichlormethiazide and Dexamethasone For Veterinary Use (http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/monographs/trichlormethiazide.asp)**

Many veterinarians use this drug combination in horses to reduce mild swellings particularly of the legs.

** (An aside, with irony, Wedgewood was sued by the owners of Saratoga County and Egghead (http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnewsarchive/ttodaysnewsviewarchive.asp?ArchiveDate=10/14/2005#58205), the latter of which was a competitor of Lost In The Fog, for defective antibiotics from their firm leading to their deaths)

[vineyridge]

I had a foxhound once with Non-Hodgkens lymphoma and he was treated with steroids. It definitely extended his life.

Isn't dexamethasone a steroid? We used prednisone, but I should think UC Davis, as the experts in equine cancer, would have selected the absolutely best interim drug treatment for LITF.

[eggbutt]

Candles lit and the super curb chain is madly jingling! Let's see if our BELIEVE power can do it again!!

[VirginiaBred]

As Posted on The Barbaro Recovery thread!

Quick Fog update: Lost in the Fog Given 'Reasonable Chance' (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35041). An excerpt:

The doctor treating sprint champion Lost in the Fog for cancerous tumors said Friday that the colt has "a reasonable chance" of reducing them to a size that's conducive for chemotherapy or surgery.
Dr. Gary Magdesian, chief of equine medicine at University of California at Davis, said Friday that Lost in the Fog is being treated with Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid sometimes used in treating lymphoma.
"We want to see if (the tumors) will respond to the extent that they are reduced to a size that will make them amenable to surgery or chemotherapy," Magdesian said

Steve Willard left me a voice mail. Giacomo is doing fine after his race in the Pacific Classic. He went back to the track a couple of days ago and is training lightly. They are training him lightly and will take it one day at a time and see how he goes. I'll follow up with Steve in a week or so and see what their plans are. Just good to hear he is back to the track after the race.

[YoungFilly]

Thanks GlimmerGlass, I appreciate the info. Hope all goes well, I will be very interested to hear what happens. :)

[Fancy]

:D :D :D :D VB, you're amazing, woman! You are EVERYwhere!!!

Thanks for the update--off to light candles for Bobby and Foggy.

"All we need is one (more) miracle!

[ASB Stars]

I am thinking we need to have a major campaign to get more candles lit for "the BOYS!", guys. I just returned from Louisville, KY- the bluegrass- this afternoon- and I am here to tell you that we need to help these guys out in every way we can...OK, how many people can we email to get ten candles lit by each, and on, and on????

Let's give Foggy the old Barbaro LIFT!!!

[Fancy]

I am thinking we need to have a major campaign to get more candles lit for "the BOYS!", guys. I just returned from Louisville, KY- the bluegrass- this afternoon- and I am here to tell you that we need to help these guys out in every way we can.

I agree!
:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:
Get out your blowtorches, folks--:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
Let's get Foggy over 1,000!
:cool:

[ASB Stars]

Who will light ten candles for the boys, and send out ten emails to have ten more people...Oh, you KNOW!!!

We CAN move mountains. We ARE capable of helping miracles to happen.

WE NEED ANOTHER MIRACLE!!!!

Let's GO team FOGGY!!!!

[Glimmerglass]

Lost in the Fog will be examined Thursday [8-31] by veterinarians from the University of California-Davis to determine if the three cancerous tumors discovered two weeks ago have shrunk. Lost in the Fog has been treated with the steroid dexamethasone since last week.

Depending on what they find, veterinarians will then set a course of treatment. If there has been no growth or the tumors have shrunk, options include chemotherapy or radiation, said trainer Greg Gilchrist. One of the tumors is located near his abdomen, just below his spine, and is inoperable.

Lost in the Fog is stabled at the Golden Gate barn of Gilchrist. He leaves his stall every day and sometimes is taken to the track to watch other horses. His appetite remains good, Gilchrist said, and he continues to nip at his trainer, a sign that he is in good spirits.Source: Daily Racing Form Aug 29, 2006 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/78041.html)

As an aside, LITF stable mate, Victorina, will be shipped to Del Mar and run in Friday's $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes at a mile.

[Fancy]

Thanks, Glimmerglass, for this thread and for all you do.

I have to go out of town Thursday AM and will be away for the weekend--no internet access at all!! :eek: :eek: So I won't know how this plays out until Tuesday. :eek: :eek: But I will hold the thought for Foggy. :yes: :yes:

[Kenike]

Nobody has heard any further on this, yet? Still jingling...

[lisann]

We're up to 979 candles. Fight the good fight, LITF!

[Glimmerglass]

San Francisco Chronicle 8-29-06 "Peaceful days and hope for Lost in the Fog" (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/08/29/SPGFCKQQOH1.DTL)

excerpts
"We're using steroids and also holistic medicine that we consulted someone on," Gilchrist said Monday morning. "It's just like a human situation right now. We've all had a mother or father or sister or brother or friend touched by this disease. This is following right down that road."

Veterinarians from UC Davis are scheduled to scan Lost in the Fog's tumors Thursday at Golden Gate Fields' small equine hospital to determine if they have begun to shrink.

"If so, we're on the right track," Gilchrist said. "His last two days have been his best in two weeks."
"I wanted to take him back for the quality of life thing, but I also decided I'm just not going to give up on this horse," Gilchrist said after Lost in the Fog had walked around his barn's shedrow and had a bath. "Right now, I'm standing right in front of him and if you didn't know the situation, you wouldn't even know anything was wrong with him. He's a pretty happy horse right now, enjoying life pretty good. That doesn't mean he's cured; he's still a very sick animal. But we're doing all we can to get him well."

Additionally, The Horse has an article now, titled: "Lost in the Fog: How Common is Equine Cancer?" (http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=7522)

One very interesting citation in that article: Though statistics show more than 80% of gray horses over the age of 15 will develop at least one melanoma in their life, the tumors are usually benign.

[eggbutt]

I'm almost dreading the news tomorrow......

off to light lots of candles for both boys.

[Fancy]

I hope the test is early. Mr. Fancy and I are leaving about noon for a 6 day outing with the horses. I'll take my curb chain with me--you guys light some extra candle for me. I'm hoping Foggy is our next new miracle. Guy really deserves it--he's all heart!

[Glimmerglass]

No news yet [although expected Friday eveing - so about now] and of course just idle speculation would suggest that the news is either mixed or poor. Wishing for the best possible news!

Lost in the Fog undergoes tests
By CHUCK DYBDAL
Daily Racing Form, August 31, 2006

ALBANY, Calif. - Veterinarians from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine conducted tests on Eclipse spring champion Lost in the Fog on Thursday at Golden Gate Fields to see if his three cancerous tumors have shrunk.

Results of the detailed physical examination, which took an hour on Thursday afternoon, won't be known for 24 hours until blood work is analyzed and comparisons are made between the ultrasound examination with previous tests.

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

I am praying for good news about this boy, hoping for another miracle. Jingles to Foggy.

Guys, does anyone have any idea what kind of Chemotherapy they would use on something like this? On a horse, no less? I work in Pharmacy, and am familier with Chemos, as well as their use in dogs and cats, but not in horses. Anyone have any ideas? Vets?

[Sport]

Curb chains are jingling that we get good news today.

[Duffy]

Major jingles from Virginia for Foggy!

[Freebird!]

Here's hoping the news is GOOD.

Jingling away in Georgia!

[Spoilsport]

Keeping my fingers crossed for Foggy!

Guys, does anyone have any idea what kind of Chemotherapy they would use on something like this? On a horse, no less?

I did a quick search and found a report of a 4 y/o Oldenburg mare treated successfully for lymphoma with a combination of cytarabine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone. I think, as with humans, the trend is to use a combination of agents. During my search I also read that lymphoma is the most common type of cancer in horses.

[Plumcreek]

I have heard radio ads for a human surgery center using something called a "Cyber Knife" in which they cut out tumors, mostly in the brain, without surgery, by laser or something. If this can be done outside a CAT scan-type machine, wouldn't it be better for horses than major slice and dice surgery?

[Spoilsport]

From Tim Woolley's website:

Update 579: Lost in the Fog's condition unchanged from the Daily Racing Form. Relevant excerpt:

"There's really not much to say. Everything is pretty much as it was," trainer Greg Gilchrist said from Del Mar on Friday. "Yesterday, we scanned the horse again, and, really, there's no change. Things are no better. Things are no worse. Everything's pretty much status quo."

Gilchrist said that he and Lost in the Fog's owner, Harry Aleo, would consult with veterinarians, "and we'll discuss our options."

[JER]

The Blood-Horse: Chemotherapy is next for champ Lost in the Fog (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35139)

Unfortunately, the steroids didn't shrink the tumors but Aleo and Gilchrist have decided to try chemotherapy. As others have pointed out, chemo has worked in other cases.

The aim is remission -- the article says it could give LITF "as mich as two years of quality life".

[luvmytbs]

I agree, that while he is still comfortable and feisty :lol: , they should keep trying. Maybe in time there will be a new procedure or medication that can help.

Jingles from KY.

[Plumcreek]

I have heard radio ads for a human surgery center using something called a "Cyber Knife" in which they cut out tumors, mostly in the brain, without surgery, by laser. ?

I thought I read that they have CAT Scans (or was it MRIs?) available for horses. Seems like this would be better for (high value) horses than major slice and dice surgery

I found the website for the Colorado Cyber Knife: http://www.rockymountainck.com/why/

California locations: http://www.accuray.com/SiteLocations/index.aspx

Just a thought, since this board seems to have amazing connections.

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

Keeping my fingers crossed for Foggy!



I did a quick search and found a report of a 4 y/o Oldenburg mare treated successfully for lymphoma with a combination of cytarabine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone. I think, as with humans, the trend is to use a combination of agents. During my search I also read that lymphoma is the most common type of cancer in horses.

Interesting! Thank you! I suppose I should have tried t look it up, but some part of me thought I would not find anything.

Continued Jingles!

[Spoilsport]

Here's a link to the abstract of the article on the Oldenburg mare. The entire article is on Medline:

Use of chemotherapy to treat lymphoma in one horse (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15002812&dopt=Abstract)

There is a report on Foggy on the UC Davis site: Lost in the Fog Update -- Sept. 1, 2006 (http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7852). Excerpt:

Lost in the Fog was very bright, alert, comfortable, eating well, and physically looked very good and in good spirits. He has not shown any signs of abdominal discomfort this week. The tumor in his spleen and the second tumor high in the abdomen between his kidneys and below his spinal column have not changed in size during the past two weeks, and no new tumors were detected in the spleen or liver or other abdominal or thoracic organs.

These findings indicate that the dexamathasone treatment has controlled the previously rapid growth of the tumors but has not caused them to shrink.

The location and size of the tumor high in the abdomen precludes the possibility that it can be removed surgically; however, chemotherapy remains an option, with the goal of inducing remission of the tumor masses.

Jingling like mad for this brave horse that he has a remission with few side effects from chemo.

[Painted Wings]

I wonder if they are considering trying to breed him. I know it is the wrong time of the year though for the Tb industry. It seems like at this time his general condition would not preclude him from breeding a few mares.

That article on the UC Davis website is very detailed. I have trouble finding out that much information on my own horses. It is very interesting.

[Kenike]

wow, I didn't realize Dex was used for that, though it makes perfect sense. Glad to hear things haven't gotten worse, but sad that they aren't really better, either. Jingling like mad and keeping the faith!

[jetandmegs4]

Jingles for him and all involved, what a sad story.

[Louise]

Let's get some more candles lit for Fog. H's been dropped to third place on the groups list, replaced in second by folks who want Janie to win Big Brother. :eek: In the spirit of a true competitor, lets get those candles shining brightly enough to light the world.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=foggy

[Kenike]

Candles lit!

I am saddened that people are lighting candles for a reality show....oy.


Jingles continue for Fog!

[Glimmerglass]

I gutted this article somewhat with exceprts, the full article can be found here: Mercury News 9-3-06 "Home Stretch" (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15432344.htm)

HOME STRETCH

By Mark Emmons
Mercury News, Sunday September 3rd

Lost in the Fog stands as still as a statue, intently watching horses gallop through their morning workouts around the Golden Gate Fields racetrack. It's a place where the 4-year-old colt -- the best thoroughbred to emerge from Northern California in years, if not decades -- will never again show his trademark burst of blazing speed.

``It piques his interest to get out and look at the other horses,'' said trainer Greg Gilchrist. ``The racetrack is where he wants to be.''

Looking at the handsome bay with a white streak down the left side of his nose, you would never know that he is dying. But last month Lost in the Fog was diagnosed with cancer. He has three tumors, including two the size of footballs.

Gilchrist and owner Harry Aleo brought him home from the UC-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, intending to give him a few final days in familiar surroundings. Then the animal that in 2005 won the Eclipse Award as the nation's top sprinter would be euthanized.

But Lost in the Fog always has been a fighter, and he rallied a bit last week. He is doing well enough to start a chemotherapy regimen in a last-ditch effort to extend his life.

The odds remain long. Cancer is cancer, and there is no expectation of a cure. Still, his veterinarian, Don Smith, said the outlook has improved slightly, from ``hopeless to nearly hopeless.''

Meanwhile, Gilchrist hangs onto the knowledge that Lost in the Fog consistently beat long odds during a brief but dominant career.

``He's a sick horse,'' Gilchrist said, patting Lost in the Fog's neck. ``I'm trying not to cling to false hope. I just want to see the horse live, because he deserves it. He never gave up on the track, and we won't give up on him now.''

``We were going to sell him to one of the big breeding farms in Kentucky, where he could live the life of Riley,'' Aleo said. ``He would go to this beautiful place with the best feed and his only job would be making love to all of these mares. Then we would be getting a few breedings every year, and I couldn't wait to see all the little Fogs.''

--

The UC-Davis staff offered to put down the horse, but Gilchrist wanted him to die among friends and brought him back to his stall at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, creating almost a hospice-care environment.

---

People offered unusual help.

``We've heard from a lot of psychic healers,'' Gilchrist said. ``There's musicians who want to play music, people who want to lay hands on him or cross feathers and say a chant. Who's to say it's crazy? I prefer the power of positive thinking.''

Another scan Thursday showed that steroid treatments to shrink the tumors had little effect. So Gary Magdesian, chief of equine medicine at UC-Davis, recommended chemotherapy.

---

``Harry and I would trade anything to keep this horse alive,'' said Gilchrist, sadness filling his pale blue eyes. He paused. ``It won't be easy,'' he said of what it will be like to say goodbye. ``It will be very heartbreaking.''

---

On this crisp, gray morning, Gilchrist guided Lost in the Fog toward his barn. ``He doesn't do much walking now,'' Gilchrist said. ``It's mostly moseying.''

An interesting article on Harry can be found here:

SF Chronicle 9-6-06 "CHARACTER STUDIES: The man behind the sign" (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2006/09/06/charstud.DTL)

[Boston Chicken]

Heartbreaking :(

[Gunnar]

Candles are lit!

Foggy you are in my thoughts!:sadsmile:

[Fancy]

Hang in there, Foggy. You can beat this yet. This is your last, best race.
:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:

[Louise]

Light those candles guys, they're getting low!

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=foggy

We need to keep the light shining brightly for a horse who has always been a fighter.

[VirginiaBred]

That was so sad. Damnit.

[captain]

no words here....just hope..

[hitchinmygetalong]

I read in the TB Daily News they are going to start him on chemo. Anyone know anymore about that?

[Glimmerglass]

No further information as of yet if it went off without any problems; one session down, now five to go

Lost in the Fog has his first chemotherapy treatment
By CHUCK DYBDAL
Daily Racing Form, September 8, 2006

Lost in the Fog, the 2005 Eclipse sprint champion, had his first of six planned chemotherapy treatments at the University of California at Davis on Thursday.
The 4-year-old colt was diagnosed with cancer last month.

If he showed no adverse reaction to the treatment Thursday afternoon, he was to be returned to his stall at Golden Gate Fields on Friday, according to Dr. Gary Magdesian, who is handling the colt's treatment.

Lost in the Fog had previously undergone steroid treatment that failed to shrink the three tumors discovered in him last month.

Magdesian said that Lost in the Fog's blood work would be monitored closely between treatments as would his bone marrow. Lost in the Fog's chemotherapy sessions will be spaced three weeks apart.

[merrygoround]

TY!!!

[Kenike]

yes, thank you!! still jingling like mad and candles are lit

[Spoilsport]

In case no one has posted this yet, here's the report from UCDavis on Foggy's first chemotherapy:

Lost in the Fog Gets Chemotherapy (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/whatsnew/article.cfm?id=1644)

He received Adriamycin and may have other drugs added later. I was sort of surprised by the choice of Adriamycin (but, then, I know nothing about chemo for horses). It is used for breast cancer and is pretty harsh, sometimes called "the red devil" because it's bright red.

I'm jingling that it knocks out those cancer cells without causing Foggy too much discomfort.

I'm off to light some candles. For those who mentioned this earlier, Janelle got evicted from Big Brother house, so Barbaro is back to number 1 and Foggy is number 2 on the candle site. Foggy has over 900 candles. We can get it to over 1000 this weekend if we try.

[Glimmerglass]

Brisnet Sep 10, 2006 (http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=5642)

Lost in the Fog back at Golden Gate

Champion sprinter LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) returned to his stall at Golden Gate Fields on Friday, one day after undergoing his first chemotherapy treatment at the University of California at Davis, and was resting on Saturday.

"I think it (the chemotherapy) affected him a little bit," trainer Greg Gilchrist said Saturday, "but he's eating and he's drinking. He seems a little tired, but that's to be expected. I think he'll snap out of it."

Gilchrist said that Lost in the Fog's next chemotherapy session will occur "September 27 or September 28."

The dark bay four-year-old was diagnosed with three cancerous tumors in August. After steroid treatment failed to shrink the tumors, the course of chemotherapy began in hopes that it would send his cancer into remission. A total of six sessions are planned, one every three weeks.

Gilchrist expressed gratitude for the tremendous support that he, owner Harry J. Aleo and Lost in the Fog have received.

[hackinaround]

Spoilsport: Adriamycin is the drug we use first and most when aggressivley treating lymphoma in dogs. I am a LT. Vet tech and work for Board Certified Specialist. Sometimes we follow it up with Vincristine .

I would assume that the protocal is very similar in equines

[FalseImpression]

Adriamycin is the "red devil".. responsible for the hair loss. Does it affect horses and dogs in the same manner? Do they also lose hair? Just curious.. I never thought of this before.
Going to light some candles for Foggy and Bobby.

[hackinaround]

Sorry it took me a day to respond , the answer is no horses , dogs and cats generaly do not suffer the hair loss people do. Sometimes it does cause them to get random grey hairs. Radiation also almost always causes greying in that area it was directed

[target]

Does anyone have the address of the stable where Lost in the Fog lives? I would like to send him some treats and a card. Thank you.

[lizathenag]

I think he is at Golden Gate Fields in Albany.

[Glimmerglass]

By chance would anyone know what became of the documentary effort conducted in 2005 and presumably into 2006 on Harry and Lost In the Fog? Some of the few citations of the would-be film:

[From September 2005]HOLD YOUR HORSES: Noe Valley filmmaker John Corey is "in progress" on a feature-length documentary about our resident icon, 85-year-old Harry Aleo. Proprietor of Twin Peaks Properties, lifetime board member of the Noe Valley Merchants Association, avowed conservative Republican in this valley where there are few, Aleo is also owner of the horseracing world's current rage: Lost in the Fog. The 3-year-old colt has won all eight of his starts, many in record-breaking fashion.

Corey, who is an Emmy Award*winning producer for TV Channel 5's Evening Magazine, says he is trying to finish the documentary in time for the film festivals next spring, but "every month the story becomes more interesting and the plot thickens.... I'm on my way to Saratoga racecourse in upstate New York for the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes [on Aug. 27]. I'll have to go to the Belmont racetrack in late October for the Grade 1 Breeders Cup races, with the big purses. These fall races could be very interesting, so hopefully the film will be done by the end of this year."

Aleo's thoroughbred has quite a following, he says. "In the beginning of August, I was up at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, where Lost in the Fog was making an appearance--not to race, but for a workout only. He was being ridden between the races by jockey Russell Baze, and people told me that the crowd was almost double what it normally would have been--and this was for a workout!"

And what of Lost in the Fog's? His story is being written right now -- most literally by people like [Andy] Beyer and John Corey, a former producer for KPIX's Evening Magazine who's now shooting a documentary about the horse ("It's a wild story," Corey says. "There are so many interesting elements -- a bizarre kind of destiny"), but also by the people in Lost in the Fog's orbit, the 50-some folks joining Aleo in the winner's circle these days.

[Glimmerglass]

Does anyone have the address of the stable where Lost in the Fog lives? I would like to send him some treats and a card. Thank you.

Assuming the official address of the track [thats where he's stabled now] would work to get any delivery there ..

Greg Gilchrist & Lost In the Fog
c/o Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Highway
Berkeley, CA 94710

or

Harry J. Aleo
Twin Peaks Properties
4072 24th St
San Francisco, CA 94114

Photo: May 2005, Lost In the Fog w/ Russ Baze getting a leg up (http://www.noevalleyvoice.com/2005/June/) also trainer Greg Gilchrist helping him, Harry in the cowboy hat, and an unidentified groom. Shot at Golden Gate Fields.

[Spoilsport]

Spoilsport: Adriamycin is the drug we use first and most when aggressivley treating lymphoma in dogs.

I'm almost afraid to ask, but here goes. Do you know how successful it is in dogs? It seems that lymphoma is often curable in humans. It's sad that they are giving Foggy such bad odds.

Jingling, jingling, jingling.

[hackinaround]

double post

[hackinaround]

Spoilsport: Its hard to say. Depending on how early its caught and the sevarity of its spread. I would say that 50% or slightly better of the animals we treat for lymphoma atleast go into remission how long they remain or how long to relapse varys. Remission is really what we consider cured...they never can be considered out of the woods like any cancer it can come back. Ive seen some dogs live 2 weeks after first discovery and some live seveal years and die of old age before the cancer got them. Dogs get seveal kinds of lymphoma and Im not sure if horses are the same.

Most of our dogs once considered in remission remain on some kind of prednisone treatment to prevent return. We wean them off very slowly

A good sign is that his chest is still clear..any mets(cancer) to the lungs is a bad thing.

Im going to ask my Dr what she knows about lymphoma in horses tomorrow

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery, (from Alex):

Update 645: I just had a brief conversation with Greg Gilchrist to get an update on Lost in the Fog. It has been six days since his chemotherapy treatment, which I think knocked him back a little (as one can only imagine). Anyway, Greg said he had walked this morning, was having a nice bath as we spoke and would then be taken out for a pick of grass. I did not push for his assessment for how the Fog was doing, I was more interested in his routine. I will call back in about a week to get a further update. It is the first time I have spoken to Greg, he just seems a very decent guy.

[eggbutt]

Thanks VB! More candles lit for Bobby and Foggy.

[Glimmerglass]

The suggestion from this article is that so far LITF is taking the treatment somewhat in stride, btw its nice to see this publication (with Cleveland not exactly an equine hub) doing an article on him:

Cleveland Plain Dailer 9-15-06 "A grueling race for survival" (http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1158310227312510.xml&coll=2)

"He received his first one last Thursday and will need at least six more rounds of chemo," said Dr. Gary Magdesian, a member of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at University of California at Davis.

Spaced three weeks apart, the treatments are intended to reduce the size of the tumors. They will continue until early next year, but Magdesian isn't making any promises that Lost in the Fog will make it through the chemotherapy.

"I can't give it to you in odds, but this is a long shot," said Magdesian. "One of the tumors is inside his spleen and is the size of football. One of the other two tumors is also quite large."

After receiving his chemo at UC Davis, Lost in the Fog returned to Golden Gate Field where he has been the prince of speed for 2½ years. While the races went on as scheduled Wednesday, Lost in the Fog was doing anything but battling the after-effects of his treatment.

"No, horses are much more tolerable of the chemo," said Magdesian. "The side-effects aren't the same. They can handle."

[Glimmerglass]

A very lengthy article in today's (9-16-06) Daily Racing Form:

DRF 9/16 -"Vigil for an ailing champ" (http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=78717&subs=0&arc=0)

Vigil for an ailing champ
By JAY HOVDEY- DRF

ALBANY, Calif. - Greg Gilchrist was kneeling in the straw at the front of stall No. 6 on the side of his Golden Gate Fields barn facing the shores of San Francisco Bay. He had his cell phone in one hand and Lost in the Fog's right front foot in the other as he briefed his stable veterinarian, Don Smith.
"His temperature's 102.2, doc," Gilchrist said. "That's up a bit from when we took it last. He's got some filling in his left hind that I'm not too happy about. But I can't feel any pulse in his feet at all, and there's no distended veins, so maybe all he needs is a little Bute."

Gilchrist snapped his phone shut and stepped across the shed row as assistant trainer Karen Long kept a good grip on Lost in the Fog's halter. When she let go, the colt took a nip in her direction.

"Hey, that's the meat over there," Long said, nodding toward Gilchrist. The trainer held up a right hand bandaged at the base of the thumb.

"He got me yesterday," Gilchrist said. "Got me good, too. The feeling is just now starting to come back. But that's okay. When he stops wanting to bite me, then I really worry."

There is nothing but heartsick worry these days among the people closest to Lost in the Fog, the Eclipse Award sprint champion of 2005 and the most popular horse to come out of northern California since Seabiscuit. In August, inoperable malignant tumors were discovered in his spleen, near his kidney, and just beneath his spine, spirit-numbing news that has turned a Thoroughbred fairytale into a medical nightmare, wracked with complications that keep Gilchrist and his staff on constant alert.

"It's liable to be like this from now on," Gilchrist said as Lost in the Fog reached for his water bucket. "Just one little thing after another. His immune system has got to be affected by the chemo, and that means he could catch any little thing that comes along. But I won't quit on him, at least not until he's ready."

A visit to the Gilchrist stable began last Thursday morning, less than a week after Lost in the Fog had received his first chemotherapy treatment at the UC Davis equine clinic. Gilchrist was listening to a phone message as he waited for the sun to break through so that Lost in the Fog could graze in warmth on a lonely patch of grass, just a short walk from the Gilchrist barn. The trainer broke into a smile as the message played.

"There were four of us together in Vietnam, in the 82nd Airborne - me, Greg, Patrick Beale, and Wayne Worley," Gilchrist explained. "We vowed that if we made it home we'd get together every year at Super Bowl time no matter what. And we have.

"That message was from Greg," Gilchrist said. "They just scattered Patrick's ashes over a whole lot of Irish countryside, just like he wanted, and now they're trying to drink up all the Guinness they can find. I'd be with them, too, if it wasn't for Lost in the Fog."

But then, a horse like Lost in the Fog tends to reorder priorities. More than just a reliable meal ticket or a lovable barn character, he raised the emotional stakes. Owner Harry Aleo would beam like a proud father whenever Lost in the Fog was mentioned. Russell Baze looked upon his most famous mount as a fellow artist and collaborator in high drama. Gilchrist treats Lost in the Fog like the younger brother he never had.

"I remember being at Pleasanton, and going weak in the knees when they told me what they found at Davis," Gilchrist said. "They wanted to put him down right away. But I said, whoa, let's at least give him a chance. We owe him that much."

A few yards away, beneath the shed row, Lost in the Fog was out of his stall and walking around under a shimmering white cooler adorned with Gilchrist's royal blue "GG" logo.

"It's amazing he looks as good as he does," Gilchrist said. "Then, he's always been a healthy horse. In fact, I've never had a horse with blood so rich. He'd always run a red cell count in the 11.5 range, on a constant basis, compared to the normal count down around 9.2. A horse will store more blood and read higher when they're excited. But that wasn't it with him. I guarantee you that right now, as sick as he is, I'm running horses who don't have as good a blood count as he does."

A few minutes later, Lost in the Fog was grazing, with Gilchrist at his side, shaking his head in amazement.

"I know there's times he must feel just rotten," Gilchrist said. "But here he is, enjoying the grass and the sun, and you wonder what kind of horse can be this brave."

At the very least, he's a horse who could win 11 of 14 starts - including the first 10 straight - at nine different tracks in California, New York, Kentucky, Florida, and Arizona. A son of the sire Lost Soldier, Lost in the Fog earned his last victory in the Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 3, and his last start was in the Smile at Calder on July 15. The tumors were discovered a month later.

As a fallen star with a national following, Lost in the Fog has touched the same sympathetic chords played since last May through the ongoing ordeal of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, as he continues to recover from the severe injuries he sustained in the Preakness Stakes.

"This office was filled with baskets of carrots and apples, flowers everywhere, and a big pile of cards," said Rowena Gilchrist, the trainer's 92-year-old mother, who wears a Lost in the Fog ballcap and keeps her son's office neat as a pin. "Look at this, what this lady sent from Novato, with the carrots and cookies."

It read: "Mr. Gilchrist. Please accept this basket I made for Foggy. The statue is of Epona - the Celtic goddess of the horse - she is for healing and has been holding vigil in my home for Barbaro."

"Here's another one," offered Patty Prospero, Gilchrist's significant other, as well as the Golden Gate paymaster. "This man from Indiana even wrote a poem."

It was a simple verse, a four-stanza ode to Lost in the Fog entitled "Don't Bet Against Him," accompanied by a note that read, in part:

"Dear Mr. Gilchrist & Mr. Aleo - I would like to express my admiration for both of you as you support the Fog in his recovery. You didn't leave your comrade on the field of battle and all of the supporters are grateful."

Across the Bay Bridge, in one of San Francisco's oldest neighborhoods, Harry Aleo sat at his desk at Twin Peaks Properties, on 24th Street between Noe and Castro. He likes to call the place "the Noe Valley Archives," and the clutter is rich with the bric-a-brac of local history. The predominating theme, though, is all Lost in the Fog.

"You know, he never had a chance to run his best race in his prime, as a 4-year-old," Aleo said. "But the Aristides, at Churchill Downs - it's heartbreaking when I think about it. He's growing that tumor, now the size of a football, underneath his spine, and he still comes through and wins that race."

Aleo picked up a thick manila envelope, filled to overflowing.

"I must have gotten a hundred letters from people, all over the country," said Aleo, the 86-year-old son of a grocer who famously turned down millions in offers for Lost in the Fog. "It's all so comforting. I answer every one of them - how could you not?

"A lot of people have suggestions about what we should do," Aleo went on. "I'll pass them on to the vets. There was one from a psychic healer who said that the horse didn't like his name, that we needed to change his diet, and that he needed to be out in a field.

"Then there was one from a lady in Florida, who had a kid that had cancer. She went and prayed to St. Michael, and promised if her son lived she would build a shrine to the saint. Her son lived and the shrine was built. She went there and prayed for the horse, then dipped a swab of cotton into the holy water, touched the shrine and had it blessed by the priest, and sent it to me to put on the side of his stall."

And did he do it?

"Damn right I did," Aleo said.

Aleo is no more anxious than Gilchrist to prolong Lost in the Fog's ordeal.

"My father died of lung cancer," Aleo said. "He swore to the end it was the chemo and radiation that was killing him.

"We'll give these next two chemo treatments for Fog a chance and then let them measure the tumors," Aleo said. "If they haven't been reduced, no more chemo. We'll just try to keep him comfortable. But when he starts to hurt, and stops eating, we'll know it's time."

Back at the barn, later in the afternoon, Gilchrist and Long were breathing easier after Lost in the Fog was administered a shot of Butazolidin. Within 20 minutes, his temperature had dropped by half a degree.

"Two days ago he had a pretty bad day," Gilchrist said. "He walked for a little while and then just laid down in his stall. After awhile he started lurching, and his gums went white, like some kind of awful colic. Then before too long he was up again, acting like nothing happened. I'm not sure I want him to go through too many more days like that.

"But he'll tell us," the trainer added. "He'll know. In the meantime, he's getting steroids, chemotherapy, homeopathic treatments, and 14 million people praying for him. He's even got a woman who comes out here every morning and plays him classical music. I'd say he's getting about every chance."

[evenstar]

Wonderful article. Thank you for posting it, Glimmerglass.

[Kenike]

What a great article! Thank you so much for sharing!
Candles are still lit and still jingling like mad...

[FLAbreds]

I got some very sad news this morning. LITF was put to sleep. Don't know when. The woman that consigned him as a yearling, who consigns our horses for us, sent us the email. :( :( :( :(

May this grand horse RIP......

[FLAbreds]

Ok, just heard that it was sometime before 9pm last night. Not sure how accurate that is but her email was very short.

I'm soooooooo saddened but at least now he is free of pain and galloping in the fields of heaven. :sadsmile:

[ElonGrad1997]

Do we have conformation on this? I'm so sad if it's true. I haven't seen anything hit the AP yet.

[eggbutt]

OH NO! OH NO! OH NO! Please say this isn't true!! I just lit many more candles this morning....please say this is a rumor!

[ThisTooShallPass]

If LITF was put down, before 9 PM last night, why do neither the TB Times or the Bloodhorse have any mention of it as of 11:45 AM today? :confused:

FLAbreds why do you not actually name your source? :confused:

[eggbutt]

I have searched and searched the internet for any confirmation of this rumor. I am totally devastated! I only hope it's true that this news is strictly a rumor.

Many more candles lit with prayer time at each lighting that this is nothing more than a very ugly rumor!:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[libgrrl]

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35355

[Glimmerglass]

However I too have seen those rumours that he was euthanized Sunday evening.

Example: Another BB: Derby Trail; Thread: "LITF Gone.. " 10:18 am EST (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4638)

[ThisTooShallPass]

Eggbutt, I too have searched numerous places & am only finding the rumor spreading exponentially upon various message boards, with none willing to actually step forward as to being the SOURCE of this rumor. Thus why asking FLAbreds to actually NAME THE SOURCE for her LITF death post.

The Big 3, Bloodhorse, TB Times & DRF as of this minute still have absolutely nothing posted. :confused: :confused: :confused:

[eggbutt]

Oh God...I am so horribly sad. Bless his handlers, trainers and owners. Prayers are with them all.

[monstrpony]

How very sad.:( :(

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery:

Update 669: It is very sad to report Lost in the Fog was euthanized last night: Champion Lost in the Fog Euthanized (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35355). The following is an excerpt:

"We accomplished what we wanted to do," said trainer Greg Gilchrist Sept. 18. "It was all about giving him quality (time). We did everything we could for him. He was happy and content right up to the end. He went quietly and easily."
Gilchrist had just finished grazing Lost in the Fog outside his barn at Golden Gate Fields on the San Francisco Bay Sept. 17, which he did twice daily, and was heading to the paddock to saddle a horse when Lost in the Fog went into distress.

Very sad. This was first reported on the internet on derbytrail.com (http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4638).

[genevieveg17]

R.I.P. Foggy.
What a sad, sad day.


Genevieve

[haligator]

Hi All,
I just spoke with someone within the UC Davis News Service Department. This is not a rumor - Lost in the Fog was put down. She will be sending me more details as they become available.

To say I am devastated is an understatement. Lost in the Fog was all heart - and to run as fast as he did with the cancer growing in him just boggles my mind.

I'll now have to write obits for a few media outlets, and it is going to be very hard for me not to bring my personal emotions into what I write.

For now, and to share with you all, the only thing I can say is that I'm glad that we were allowed to see him and watch as he burned up the track. The question will ever remain - what if he had been 100% healthy all this time? Can you imagine?

Hail and Farewell, Fog. You will never be forgotten. Condolences to his team.

And, this is one gal who will be having herself a good cry when I am alone.

Hallie McEvoy
Racing Dreams, LLC

[War Admiral]

Sorry to hear it. Godspeed to a great-hearted TB. :(

[Glimmerglass]

If the previously announced plans still are valid then the next steps will be that his body will be cremated there in Northern California and his ashes then sent back to Greg and Karen Dodd's Southern Chase Farm in Williston, Florida (http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_f72frd) where he was raised.

[knowonder]

Godspeed Fog--here's hoping your journey over the Rainbow Bridge was a peaceful one.

[Gunnar]

Godspeed to Foggy! You were a special boy!:sadsmile:

[ThisTooShallPass]

Thank you for posting the Bloodhorse news link. :yes: I see it was put up as I was still writting my previous post.

At least LITF is now free at last to once again be a real horse across the Rainbow Bridge.

I must say I have been terribly upset at how he was kept locked in his stall through all this, with Gilchrist hand walking him when he had the time to. Gilchrist's own words as to when he had the time. WTF? :confused: LITF is free at last! God speed his soul across the Rainbow Bridge.

[witherbee]

IMO LITF's connections did their best for their brave boy. Gilchrist even missed going to spread a combat buddy and lifelong friend's ashes in order to be with LITF, so I'm sure he spent enough time grazing the horse. Sorry, but it just seems that some people rush to judgement when they don't know the people or animals involved. I know I had read that LITF would need a certain amount of stall rest - why not do it where they felt he would be happiest? I don't blame FLABreds for no naming her source either - she knew the official status would follow (would a name actually have helped?). Anyway, I don't mean to get bogged down in pettiness, but I find it disturbing that Gilchrist and Aleo are being judged for not taking this horse to a farm - they did what they felt was right for their horse...

RIP Lost In The Fog - we were lucky to have watched you blaze accross the earth!

[ElonGrad1997]

RIP -- Foggy. :cry:

Another champion gone from this earth, but free in the heavens running with the greatest.

[smilton]

I think he kept the horse where he was most comfortable. My OTTB loved her stall and was stress (panicced and shaking) when first turned out in a pasture. I think they were avoiding new and possibly stressful situations. I don't think he was being cruel by keeping him stalled.
Some OTTB have to slowly be introduced to pasture life and even drugged to keep them from hurting themselves. Some horses absolutely love track life.
I think they did all they could for a horse they loved.

[FLAbreds]

Eggbutt, I too have searched numerous places & am only finding the rumor spreading exponentially upon various message boards, with none willing to actually step forward as to being the SOURCE of this rumor. Thus why asking FLAbreds to actually NAME THE SOURCE for her LITF death post.

The Big 3, Bloodhorse, TB Times & DRF as of this minute still have absolutely nothing posted. :confused: :confused: :confused:

As you can see, unfortunately, the news is true. I named my source without actually giving out her name in my earlier post. She purchased LITF as a weanling and consigned him as a yearling and has been in contact with his connections ever since. We were just discussing him Saturday morning when she came out to our farm.

Such a sad day for all of us who loved this very special colt. I was hoping and praying he'd pull thru but I know his connections did everything they could for him. God bless them for trying and also knowing when to call it a day. :sadsmile:

[eggbutt]

FLAbreds, I'm so sorry for thinking nasty things about you being a rumor monger this morning! I was so hoping you were mistaken and your source was wrong. Although I don't know Barbaro or Lost In the Fog and never saw either in person, I have put so much energy into positive thoughts and prayers for them that I feel they are part of my family. I was truly shattered this morning sitting at my desk sobbing. Thank you for bringing us the news. I will always remember they made the decision to bring him home so he could be with his groom in the end. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[17handtb]

Farewell, sweet prince. And may flights of angels (WITH CARROTS) wing you to your rest. :sadsmile:

You won't be forgotten.

[Laurierace]

You and your caretakers fought the good fight. Godspeed fast boy.

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery...................:( :cry:

Update 671: In honor of Lost in the Fog I wanted to highlight a couple of tributes, the first a video: Lost in the Fog: Tribute to a Champion (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt__8F_eG04). Listening the commentary of his race at Saratoga is amazing.

The second, a poem by Linnie (timestamp: 8:25pm):
Just very quickly, I wrote the following humble tribute to a great hero:

Lost in the Fog
You are lost no more
The angels have beckoned
And have opened God's door
Lost in the Fog
No more pain shall you bear
As the grief in my heart
is assuaged by my tears
Lost in the Fog
'Twas a most gallant fight
Now you make your true passage
Through the comforting Light
Lost in the Fog
Down the backstretch toward Home
Your eyes fixed on the prize
Peaceful days now will come
Lost in the Fog
An incredible race
And a sprint to the Finish
With the stature of Grace
Lost in the Fog
Ne'er a Hero so strong
That will wear a King's Crown
On a misty September Morn
Lost in the Fog
Angels wait at God's door
To welcome the Champion
'Twill be lost Nevermore ...

[Glimmerglass]

University of California, Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital formal statement September 18, 2006 (http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7874)
The veterinarians and staff at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital were greatly saddened to learn that Lost in the Fog had lost his battle with lymphoma and was euthanized at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday, Sept. 17.

Dr. Gary Magdesian, the specialist in equine internal medicine and critical patient care who had directed Lost in the Fog's diagnostic evaluation and treatment since Aug. 13, when the horse was first examined at UC Davis, had been in daily telephone communication with Dr. Don Smith, Lost in the Fog's regular veterinarian, since the horse completed the first round of chemotherapy treatment at UC Davis on Sept. 7 and returned to Golden Gate Fields under the care of Greg Gilchrist, his trainer.

Lost in the Fog tolerated the first chemotherapy treatment very well and had been comfortable and in good spirits until late last week. At that time, he began to develop mild swelling in his hind legs and scrotum and to show signs of mild abdominal discomfort (colic). As had been the case during Lost in the Fog's previous episodes of mild colic, he initially responded well to symptomatic treatment with analgesics and remained bright and comfortable until Sunday afternoon, when he became distressed and more uncomfortable.

Prior to instituting chemotherapy, all those involved in decisions regarding Lost in the Fog's care -- including owner Harry Aleo; trainer Greg Gilchrist; veterinarian Don Smith; and UC Davis veterinarians Gary Magdesian, Alain Theon, Larry Galuppo, and David Wilson -- agreed that if the point was reached that it was no longer possible to provide Lost in the Fog with an acceptable level of comfort and quality of life while continuing chemotherapy aimed at inducing remission of the tumors, humane euthanasia would be the most appropriate course of action. That point was reached on Sunday afternoon.

Lost in the Fog showed the same incredible toughness and determination in his battle with cancer that he showed during his illustrious racing career. He was a wonderful patient and true gentleman to the end, and will be greatly missed by his many fans around the world, including those who cared for him during his final weeks.

As Greg was quoted in a few articles that have come out today:
"I've always said when it got too bad, Lost in the Fog would let me know, and that's what he did," Gilchrist said. "It was great to spend time with him every day, just be around him and remember things, where we've been."

[Spoilsport]

Godspeed, Lost of the Fog!!

Very, very sad. My condoleneces to everyone who knew, loved and worked with this brave colt. I know they did their very best.

[VirginiaBred]

As posted on The Barbaro Recovery~

Update 673: Tributes to Lost in the Fog continue unabated. A couple of examples on the discussion boards: New Tribute to Lost in the Fog (http://forums.delphiforums.com/timwoolley/messages?msg=1244) and THE LAST BATTLE (http://forums.delphiforums.com/timwoolley/messages?msg=1251).
Calder Race Track issued a news release: Farewell to a Champion: Goodbye, Lost in the Fog (http://www.calderracecourse.com/news/racing_news/racing_news_09182006.html). The Fog made his final start at Calder. There is a nice picture of him under exercise rider Sue Milne.
Golden Gate Field also issued a news release: CHAMPION LOST IN THE FOG EUTHANIZED (http://www.goldengatefields.com/NewsEvents/FeatureStories/Details/FOGEUTHANIZED.htm). The following are two excerpts:

Gilchrist said it was tough to say goodbye to Lost in the Fog.
"It was very emotional," said Gilchrist. "I probably won't ever get over it. I always said when it got too bad, Lost in the Fog would let me know. I think he did yesterday (Sunday). If he was a person, he would have said, 'It's time.' That's life and we have to deal with it. People come and go. I'll just see him on the other side."
Gilchrist said Lost in the Fog will be cremated and it's likely his ashes will go to Southern Chase Farm in Florida, where he was raised.

and

When asked how he would like fans to remember Lost in the Fog, Gilchrist replied, "Just remember him for the great warrior and champion he was."
Golden Gate Fields is planning to honor Lost in the Fog on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Here are the snail mail addresses (http://forums.delphiforums.com/timwoolley/messages?msg=1249.2) of Lost in the Fog's connections.

[Glimmerglass]

Some comments from other members of the team, from the 9/19/06 San Francisco Chronicle (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/09/19/SPGHFL895N1.DTL):

Owner Harry Aleo:
"It's a sad day," Aleo said in a telephone interview with The Chronicle. "Geez, I never thought I'd feel so bad about a horse passing away. I haven't felt this bad when some of my friends died. We did everything we possibly could to try to save him. That I feel good about. We always said that if it got to this point, it was time to put him down.

"What a heart this horse had. I feel real sad that we can't pass on those genes, but in a way this is closure. He gave us so much joy. We went all over the country with him, and he had an aura about him. When he ran at Golden Gate Fields (in the Golden Bear Breeders' Cup Stakes) and broke the track record, I'll never forget that day. They more than doubled their normal attendance. And when he ran at Bay Meadows (in the Bay Meadows Speed Handicap), and people were 10-deep in the paddock cheering. How much is all that worth? It's priceless. I look at that damned Eclipse Award on top of the TV, and it's still unbelievable to me."

Jockey Russell Baze (who rode him in all but one race):
"A horse like that doesn't come around very often," he said. "He was a special horse, and I was happy to be associated with him. Even though we all knew it was going to happen, it's sad to hear it out loud."
Lost in the Fog's body was taken to UC Davis for postmortem, and then he will be cremated.

AP Photo: $250,000 Ocala Stud Dash ("Sunshine Millions"), January 27, 2005, Gulfstream Park (Russell Baze up) (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/09/19/SPGHFL895N1.DTL&o=0)

As has been widely cited, but worth remarking again, is that while he dropped his last race he did win his prior effort at Churchill Downs. The Aristides Breeders' Cup Handicap on June 3, 2006 during which he was most certainly already burdened with tumors and was less then 1 second off the track record [6f in 1:08.52 vs. 1:07.59] is utterly amazing.

Flashback link to that video and news account: NTRA 6/3/2006 "Aristides BC: Lost in the Fog is back" (http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?type=news&id=18178)

[VigorsMom]

A true Champion, you will be forever missed.

[2Dogs]

oh dear - crying at work - not good. Bless you Lost in the Fog - carry on brave one, pain free!

[Oakstable]

So, so sad.

I just don't understand how a 4-year-old develops cancer.

[forestandcody]

Unfortunately, even newborns animals and people(yes, I know that people are animals) can have malignancies. Youth is not always protective:(

[xc4fun]

I just have to respond to this poster's remarks;

"I must say I have been terribly upset at how he was kept locked in his stall through all this, with Gilchrist hand walking him when he had the time to. Gilchrist's own words as to when he had the time. WTF? "

Many racehorses that I have known find solace in the routine that they know. In my own experience many have preferred the barns and the barn activity to being turned out. I think we can all agree that Lost in the Fog was much loved and provided with the best of care. It is not up to us to judge the people who knew him best. Godspeed Foggy. My heart goes out to his people....

[Spoilsport]

I cannot understand how anyone can second-guess someone else's agonizing decision in a time like this. Having been through this myself (I bet a lot of us have), I know it is heartbreaking and you do end up second-guessing yourself, but in the end you do the best you can when you don't have a crystal ball. I broke down in tears when I read this on Tim Woolley's website:

Update 676:

I called up the writer [of a story about Foggy], Glenye Cain (we have corresponded a little over Barbaro over the last month or two), to get her perspective from the interview of Mr. Aleo. This is what Glenye told me:

Mr. Aleo's comments made the story. I do not know Mr. Aleo personally and this was the first time I had talked with him. You can only imagine how difficult it is for a reporter to talk to someone for the first time under such circumstances.

The thing that struck me about Mr. Aleo was his question "I hope we did the right thing?", he still questions whether they did the right thing for the horse, and that is and has been his sole concern. He did not want to allow him to suffer unecessarily. It was very touching. He was very subdued, a little shocked.

[Cinnybren]

Godspeed Foggy. My sincerest condolences to his family and connections.

[Kenike]

Oh how very sad! I think we all knew the day would come, but it doesn't lessen the blow. Godspeed, Foggy. May you have fields of green for all of eternity. :(

[hitchinmygetalong]

Such a sad, sad day.

Condolences to Mr. Gilchrist and Mr. Aleo, and to Lost In The Fog's groom, who is probably hurting in a thousand different ways right now. Do we even know his/her name?

God speed, Lost In The Fog. Say hi to Saint Liam for me.

[Glimmerglass]

Condolences to Mr. Gilchrist and Mr. Aleo, and to Lost In The Fog's groom, who is probably hurting in a thousand different ways right now. Do we even know his/her name?

Pasquel Garcia

[genevieveg17]

Golden Gate Fields is honoring/remembering LITF on Sept. 30.
With a paid admission race fans will recieve a DVD with all of Foggy's wins.

Genevieve

[farmgirl88]

He was greatness...and like many of those before him..he will lie in peace with greatness....

[Glimmerglass]

Golden Gate Fields is honoring/remembering LITF on Sept. 30.
With a paid admission race fans will recieve a DVD with all of Foggy's wins.

If anyone is going to go I'll gladly pay for the DVD + S/H.

[lizathenag]

If I go, I will make several trips through the turnstile. that is how I got my pals LITF bobbleheads. . .

[Glimmerglass]

Golden Gate Salute to Lost in the Fog Sept. 30
source: Golden Gate Fields release

Golden Gate Fields will salute Lost it in the Fog, the champion sprinter who lost his battle with cancer, on Sept. 30.

A special DVD, featuring each of Lost in the Fog's 11 career victories, will be given to fans attending Golden Gate Fields. Lost in the Fog, the most popular horse to come out of Northern California since Seabiscuit, was euthanized Sept. 17.

Golden Gate Fields will show highlights of Lost in the Fog's career throughout the day and also pay tribute to the colt's connections, owner Harry J. Aleo of San Francisco and trainer Greg Gilchrist.

Donations, in the name of Lost in the Fog may be made to the Glen Ellen Vocational Academy (GEVA), an equine retirement facility located in the Sonoma County town of Glen Ellen. GEVA provides a home for retired racehorses as well as for horses that are injured or simply in need of a home.

GEVA representatives will be at Golden Gate Fields to accept donations. 30. Fans can also mail contributions to the following address:

GEVA Inc.
Equine Retirement Foundation
P. O. Box 2101
Glen Ellen, CA 95442.

For more information on GEVA, visit www.glenellenfarms.com/geva

[genevieveg17]

I am definitely going. I will get a few extra.
Glimmerglass I will gladly get a DVD for you. You were the one that made me sit up and notice what a fantastic horse LITF was. Thank you.

Genevieve

[Glimmerglass]

I am definitely going. I will get a few extra.
Glimmerglass I will gladly get a DVD for you. You were the one that made me sit up and notice what a fantastic horse LITF was. Thank you.

That is a rather kind thing to say - thank you - although I have to say he quickly moved on the radar of many following the racing scene by early 2005. I'd just like to see all of those efforts again whereby he gave it his all for memories ...

[Glimmerglass]

An on-line preview of the Golden Gate Field's DVD via Lone Star Park (TX): LITF's vicories - compilation video (http://www.lonestarparkmedia.com/LIFVideo/lif_player.swf)

Anyone who sees it will know what a champion looks like.

[Glimmerglass]

I had read suggestions about this change before with his final resting place and hopefully it will be understood that it is Harry's wish without much grumbling.

Although Gilchrist said originally that Lost in the Fog's ashes would be buried at Southern Chase Farm, where he lived before Aleo bought him, Aleo said, "I hope to put him to rest at Golden Gate Fields. That's what I want. This is his home and where his fans are."

Golden Gate Fields has offered to bury the colt's ashes and will create either a plaque or statue of the colt, who won the hearts of Northern California fans during his brilliant career.Source: DRF 9-26-06 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/79003.html)

[VirginiaBred]

As posted Wednesday morning on The Barbaro Recovery~

Fans will be able to celebrate Lost in the Fog on saturday at Golden Gate Fields: Track to honor Lost in the Fog (http://drf.com/news/article/79003.html). The following is an excerpt:

Golden Gate Fields will salute Eclipse Sprint champion Lost in the Fog, his owner Harry Aleo and trainer Greg Gilchrist on Saturday. A special DVD featuring each of the colt's victories will be given away, and career highlights will be shown throughout the day.
Golden Gate Fields has been swamped with requests about the video and had fans from as far away as Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey inquire about attending the day to pay their respects to the colt, who was euthanized on Sept. 17 after battling cancer.
Donations in the name of Lost in the Fog can be made to the Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Northern California's only non-profit horse rescue and rehabilitation facility. The GEVA address is P.O. Box 2101, Glen Ellen, CA 95442.
"If it's something to help horses, I'm always for it," said Aleo, who has allowed GEVA to auction off pictures of the colt in the past.

This Bloodhorse article: Crystal Clear (http://opinions.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35485) is a wonderfully written article about the Fog. It begins:

He was special; a simple word that seems inadequate, but at the same time says it all. He was speed incarnate, not just blazing fast but white-hot fast, able to run a second quarter faster perhaps than any horse before him. He was without pretensions, no blue-blooded pedigree or flighty temperament. He was all business.

[J Swan]

my condolences on the loss of this great horse.



i lost a dog to cancer in the spleen - it's a tough one to catch in time. no symptoms until it's too late.

[summerly]

Racing has lost a true champion. My condolences to everyone conected to this amazing horse.

[mighty mite]

I had read suggestions about this change before with his final resting place and hopefully it will be understood that it is Harry's wish without much grumbling.

Source: DRF 9-26-06 (http://www.drf.com/news/article/79003.html)

I think he belongs at GGF. I hope they bury his ashes there.

I'm not sure what to bring with me when I go on Saturday but I would like to bring a photo of Foggy in his stall in Santa Rosa when I visited with him and Greg Gilchrist last year. The photo is Foggy and his stablemate, Frisco Star, reaching out to each other and touching noses. I have two framed copies, one for Greg and the other for his groom.

It was the day that Foggy came to Santa Rosa to gallop around the track for the fans to see him. I got to the track at the crack of dawn and saw him work. It was a very foggy morning and difficult to see very far down the track. There were lots of horses working out but suddenly, out of the fog came this incredible horse. In an instance, you knew he was something special. Where all the other horses looked pretty slim, this boy was all muscle and carried himself in a way that you could tell he knew he was great. It was one of those moments that I will never, ever forget.

Afterwards, we went to his stall and talked with Greg Gilchrist for about half an hour. Such a nice man. When we first arrived, he immediately pulled the hay out of Foggy's mane so he'd look pretty for my camera. Greg talked and talked and it was pretty obvious how special this horse was to him. We didn't want to appear pushy and were afraid we were taking up too much of his time but he was in no hurry to end the conversation. Later that day we saw him in the winner's circle after Frisco Star won his maiden race. He just looked so proud and happy.

I can imagine how terribly sad all his connections must still be feeling. You never get over a special one like that.

[Glimmerglass]

From the San Francisco Chronicle regarding Saturday's (9/30) Golden Gate Field's send off for Lost In the Fog:

An hour earlier, trainer Greg Gilchrist offered some heartfelt words during Golden Gate Fields' tribute to Lost in the Fog, the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter who was euthanized Sept. 17 after being stricken with cancer. Owner Harry J. Aleo and jockey Russell Baze also participated in the ceremony.

"Thanks to all of you, you were the ones who made it happen," Gilchrist told a crowd that surrounded the winner's circle. "You followed him the last two years, and you were gracious with your prayers, flowers, fruit and thoughts. To leave with a heavy heart, I don't think the horse would want you to do that. Let's think nothing but good things about him.

"We all got a little bit of greatness from him. He was a great champion and not just in ability. A lot of us can learn a lot from Lost in the Fog. I know I did. It was a great ride, and maybe we can do it again some time."

Perhaps a glimpse of that possibility came in Saturday's third race when Aleo and Gilchrist's 2-year-old filly Quite a Rush won the maiden event by 7 lengths.Direct article link (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/10/01/SPG3ALFOL21.DTL)

"It would real easy to leave here today with a heavy heart but Lost in the Fog wouldn't have wanted any of you to do that. He'd want you to leave with nothing but good thoughts. We were lucky — Mr. Aleo, Russell [Baze], myself. We got to enjoy him and I hope you, the fans, did also. Just remember Lost in the Fog for what he was — a great champion. It takes more than just ability; there's a lot more that goes into being a champion than just talent and I think we all could learn a little from Lost in the Fog. I know I did."

The racetrack also made a donation in the horse's name to Glen Ellen Vocational Academy (GEVA), the northern California horse retirement facility located in Glen Ellen.TB Times 10-1-06 (http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=66804&subsec=1)

[jetandmegs4]

What a sad event. Not only was he a gorgeous horse, but what an athlete. That short video is quite amazing, what an amazing horse. My sincere condolences to all who loved and cared for him.

[mighty mite]

Saturday, at Golden Gate Fields, just as they were finishing the tribute, a flock of Canadian geese flew very low and directly above the winner's circle. It made for quite a beautiful ending to the tribute.

[Glimmerglass]

It is simply amazing he held on as long as he did ...

Fog's Cancer Extensive, Necropsy Reveals
by Debbie Arrington - The BloodHorse
10/18/2006

The deceased champion sprinter Lost in the Fog's cancer was much more extensive than originally believed and most likely had been growing for many months.

Results of the necropsy, released Oct. 18, showed a gigantic tumor that compromised several of his internal organs.

Located directly below his spine, one inoperable lymphoma ran almost the length of the colt's back. Doctors at University of California at Davis, where the necropsy also was performed, originally thought that tumor to be about one foot long.

"It went all the way from his pelvis to invade and erode his diaphragm and chest cavity," said Dr. David Wilson, director of UCD's large animal clinic, who was part of a large team of veterinarians and specialists who worked with the horse. "It also involved his arteries, kidneys and intestinal organs. It actually invaded one kidney and compressed both.

"It came right up against his aorta," Wilson added. "He had experienced swelling in his hind legs and that was no doubt caused by the tumors pressing on blood vessels."

In earlier tests, the large tumor had been partially hidden from view by other organs. In addition to the gigantic growth, Lost in the Fog also carried a tumor the size of a football in his spleen.

"What absolutely amazed me was how tough this guy was and how well he tolerated everything," Wilson said. "It just floors me; the extent of this cancer and how he handled it with a minimum of discomfort. He had to have had it for at least several months."

Trained by Greg Gilchrist and owned by Harry Aleo, Lost in the Fog won his last stakes -- the Aristides Handicap (gr. III) at Churchill Downs -- on June 3 and ran his final race -- finishing ninth in Calder's Smile Sprint (gr. II) -- on July 15 before the cancer was discovered in August. Winner of his first 10 races, the 4-year-old colt had started chemotherapy last month, but was euthanized Sept. 17 at Golden Gate Fields following a seizure.

Lost in the Fog's remains were cremated and will be memorialized at Greg and Karen Dodd's Southern Chase Farm in Williston, Fla., where the Florida-bred son of Lost Soldier was raised.Source: BloodHorse 10-18-06 (http://www.bloodhorse.com/viewstory_plain.asp?id=35873)

Again, and with even more emphasis then before, in light of the necropsy his last victory - the G3 Aristides Breeders' Cup Handicap - on June 3, 2006 during which he was most certainly already burdened with tumors and was less then 1 second off the track record [6f in 1:08.52 vs. 1:07.59] is utterly amazing.

[Fancy]

What an amazing horse! Thanks for the memories, Foggy!

[Spoilsport]

Amazing!

Thanks for posting this.

[Glimmerglass]

I thought the words were careful in how they were presented - there will be a memorial to LITF created at Greg and Karen Dodd's Southern Chase Farm in Williston, FL. However, per the DRF 10-20 (http://drf.com/news/article/79755.html) whereby they reiterate the news of how far more extensive his cancer was (see prior posting by me on Wed) they disclose this:

Owner Harry Aleo said arrangements have been made for the colt's ashes to be buried at Golden Gate Fields, where he was stabled.

Greg pointed out again, as I have, just how amazing the Aristides victory was with his body already partially ravaged :(

[eggbutt]

What a champion! Always a champion in every respect.

[mighty mite]

"Owner Harry Aleo said arrangements have been made for the colt's ashes to be buried at Golden Gate Fields, where he was stabled. "

Does anyone have an update on this and know where his ashes will be or possibly already are buried?

[FatDinah]

Here's an interesting bit from aprofile on Russell Baze, Lost in the Fog's jockey:

<B>By LOWELL COHN<P>
<B>The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, Calif.<P>
<B>c.2006 New York Times News Service<P>

... He rode Lost in the Fog, won the Grade I King's Bishop and the Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup on Lost in the Fog. Surely Lost in the Fog was no Triple-A horse. Fog was as big-league as they get.
Baze did not love Fog. Don't get me wrong. He liked the horse and appreciated him the way Jeff Gordon appreciates the capabilities of a new car.
"I don't get that attached to them," he said. "Lost in the Fog was as close as I came. He was a very courageous individual, also a vicious SOB. He'd bite you, but he had a heart of gold on the race track, gave all he had."
Baze was racing when they put down the Fog. I asked if he'd said goodbye to the horse.
"No," he said. "He wouldn't have understood. It would just have been for me."

[Glimmerglass]

.... Baze did not love Fog. Don't get me wrong. He liked the horse and appreciated him the way Jeff Gordon appreciates the capabilities of a new car. "I don't get that attached to them," he said. "Lost in the Fog was as close as I came. He was a very courageous individual, also a vicious SOB. He'd bite you, but he had a heart of gold on the race track, gave all he had."

Interesting and I respect that view along with the other statements he's made on the record such as this:

"It's really sad that such a great horse has such an unhappy end," Baze said.

Let's face it, Canadian-born Russell (expected to surpass Pincay for the most career wins by a single jockey) only was on and around him for brief periods of time. Jerry Bailey will be the first to say that for all the rides he was given he didn't get attached to horses. Jerry does however say he is somewhat attached to Cigar.

And it can easily go both ways. Even if Chris McCarron was to say he loved John Henry, I can pretty much say that John wouldn't give a damn about him or McNally.

[FatDinah]

I think that fits with what the trainer said about Lost in the Fog's "favorite human' being his groom. And I think Gilchrist brought Fog back from UC as much to let the people who took care of him daily see him again as he did for the Fog.
And, I think it's an accurare portrait of Lost in the Fog, I think people who haven't been around stallions tend to romanticize them.

It's a really interesting profile of Baze.

Here's the whole thing, I hope I am not breaking a rule about posting it all.

<B>By LOWELL COHN<P>
<B>The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, Calif.<P>
<B>c.2006 New York Times News Service<P>
ALBANY, Calif. -- Russell Baze was ticking off numbers Friday morning in the cafeteria at Golden Gate Fields.
"I have won 9,494 races and I need 36 to tie the record," he said.
He wasn't bragging. He was merely stating facts -- amazing facts.
And the primary fact is this. Only jockey Laffit Pincay, who retired in 2003, has more career victories than Baze, who is a national treasure and the most distinguished athlete in Northern California.
You could argue that last statement, but you'd be wrong.
He knows how good he is -- he sure does. But he's not impressed with himself, doesn't see himself as an artist or a great athlete or anything like that even though he has more victories than Bill Shoemaker or Eddie Arcaro, more than everyone except Pincay.
He's a guy with a job, which happens to be riding horses to victories. He does his job like an accountant does his job, and then he goes home to Woodside.
If I made a list of his honors it would fill this column, so I'll just give you a taste.
He has led the nation in wins eight times.
He got a special Eclipse Award in 1995 for being the first to win 400 or more races in four consecutive years.
He's won 400 races a year 11 of the past 14 years. No other jockey has won 400 races a year more than three times.
He's also in the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
Oh, one other thing. In November he'll tie and pass Pincay, and then he'll be all by himself with more victories than anyone who ever lived.
He is a small, thin man with a high voice and thick strong fingers. He was wearing a racing cap on Friday and hadn't shaved, and when he goes out in the world, no one knows he's famous until he signs his name to a credit card slip.
When asked what the record means to him, he said it's a big deal and all that, but "I'm not a real extrovert. I'm not shy, either. I'm just not the kind of person to toot my own whistle. They made a bobble head of me, so I must have arrived."
He is a great rider because he rides hard and hates to lose. He is a great rider because some people reach a high and then fade away.
At 48, he keeps going year after year, and he sees no end in sight.
He is a man who rides horses. That is who he is. You would expect someone like Baze to pick and choose his races. The fact is he almost never turns down a mount. He rides. He is a great finisher. And he is brilliant at what he does.
"It's exhilarating to be on an animal that strong," he said, "to have that power under your control, to watch and see if what you thought would happen does happen. It's very much a mental game ... like chess."
A question attaches itself to Baze.
Is he big time?
You should know this. Baze has been, for the most part, a regional jockey -- Northern California.
When he was younger he went down south to the bigger, richer tracks, and he did well. But he preferred racing up north.
If the south is the majors, the north is Triple-A. Baze knows this.
People say it's easier for him to set the record than someone who raced elsewhere.
"If that's the case, there would be a lot of guys at smaller tracks with records similar to mine," he said. "It's hard to win races. ... There is some basis to the argument. But I understand how hard I worked. I never had anything handed to me on a silver platter."
He rode Lost in the Fog, won the Grade I King's Bishop and the Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup on Lost in the Fog. Surely Lost in the Fog was no Triple-A horse. Fog was as big-league as they get.
Baze did not love Fog. Don't get me wrong. He liked the horse and appreciated him the way Jeff Gordon appreciates the capabilities of a new car.
"I don't get that attached to them," he said. "Lost in the Fog was as close as I came. He was a very courageous individual, also a vicious SOB. He'd bite you, but he had a heart of gold on the race track, gave all he had."
Baze was racing when they put down the Fog. I asked if he'd said goodbye to the horse.
"No," he said. "He wouldn't have understood. It would just have been for me."
As you can see, Baze is not sentimental. He is businesslike. He is not even sentimental about himself.
"Will you celebrate when you break the record?" I asked.
"A little bit," he said. "I'm not a great big celebrator. I'll probably have to get up and race the next day."
-----

[Glimmerglass]

I'll admit this is pretty disappointing although since he was retired on October 8th, what are you going to do with him other than breed him since he's a stallion ...

[i](Fyi: the news is inserted here because the horse has been cited on this thread before, he was LITF's stable mate, and frankly he too had the "need for speed")

Frisco Star: 3 3-0-0 (one stakes victory)

BloodHorse Nov 2, 2006 (http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36154)Frisco Star, an undefeated track-record-setting stakes winner, will enter stud in 2007 at Stonewall Farm Stallions near Versailles, Ky. The 3-year-old son of More Than Ready will stand for $5,000.

In August of last year, Frisco Star ran one of the year's fastest Beyer Speed Figures for a juvenile, a 102, in winning by 8 1/2 lengths in track-record time of 1:01.65 for 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Rosa in his sole start at that age. In his only two starts at three, both at six furlongs, he took the Novato Stakes in 1:08.66 at Golden Gate Fields and won in 1:09.61 at Bay Meadows.

Frisco Star retired with earnings of $54,725 for Harry Aleo, who last year's raced champion sprinter Lost in the Fog.

"If you want speed, this colt had it," said Ken Wilkins, Stonewall's director of stallion operations. "To win his first out by 8 1/2, and do it in :21 2/5, :44 1/5, :55 2/5, and 1:01 3/5, that's racehorse time. He is a big, good-looking colt and we're proud to stand the first son of More Than Ready in Kentucky."

Bred in Florida by Charles Russell Patton, Frisco Star commanded $175,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company April sale of 2-year-olds in training. His dam, No Mud On Me (by Great Above), is a half-sister to two stakes winners.

[mighty mite]

I'll admit this is pretty disappointing although since he was retired on October 8th, what are you going to do with him other than breed him since he's a stallion ...

[i](Fyi: the news is inserted here because the horse has been cited on this thread before, he was LITF's stable mate, and frankly he too had the "need for speed")

Frisco Star: 3 3-0-0 (one stakes victory)

BloodHorse Nov 2, 2006 (http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36154)

I'm sorry to hear that. I saw him win his maiden, leading from start to finish and winning easy at the wire. I was hoping to see more of him.

[Glimmerglass]

An interesting theory that Harry Aleo suggests with Lost In The Fog's death:

Inside Bay Area 10-18-07 "After The Fog runs Smokey Stover in Cup" (http://www.insidebayarea.com/turn2/ci_7211860)

excerpt

Less than one-tenth of 1 percent of thoroughbreds develop terminal cancers. Gilchrist said that in 35 years of training horses, Lost In The Fog was the first he'd had that developed the disease.

"He probably had it the last three or four times he ran," Gilchrist said. "There were 100 pounds of tumors in that horse when they did the autopsy on him."

Aleo believes Lost In The Fog may have been exposed to something harmful at Belmont Park that ignited the cancer before he ran in the Breeders' Cup.

"I'm sure it happened back there," he said. "Two stalls from him, there was a champion filly from Canada that ran bad the same day. And she died a month before The Fog with the same cancer. There was some rumor that they sprayed for rats or something, but I know he wasn't right that day, and so did Greg. He lunged out at me, and he never did that before. He put a bruise on my chest a foot in diameter. That's one of the symptoms of a sick horse — anger."

Lost In The Fog started three more times following that mysterious Breeders' Cup failure and actually won a stakes race at Churchill Downs. But following his final race on July15, he was dead three months later.

[Persuit2002]

my horse and him share the same sire....my horse has a odd blaze like LITF did ...may he rip ...

[Glimmerglass]

It looks like the documentary filmed on Harry and 'Fog' has been finished and is making the rounds of the film festivals.

Las Vegas Review Journal June 13, 2008 "'Lost' tells colt's tragic tale" (http://www.lvrj.com/sports/19884064.html)

If you've heard enough nonsense about Big Brown and his human connections, I have an alternative for you this weekend.

One of the films to make the cut at the CineVegas Film Festival is a documentary on 2005 Eclipse Award Sprint champion Lost in the Fog. I have yet to see the film, but I remember the colt's 10-race winning streak as though it happened yesterday.

CineVegas is being held at the Brendan Theatres at the Palms, and it is open to the public. There will be two showings of "Lost in the Fog." The world premiere will be at noon Saturday, with a second showing at 4 p.m. Monday. I'm going Saturday, so I hope to see you there.

The movie centers on this remarkable horse, aged owner Harry Aleo and trainer Greg Gilchrist.

You might recall that Lost in the Fog was stricken with cancer and died on Sept. 17, 2006. An autopsy showed his body was full of cancerous growths, including a tumor, the size of a football, found in his spleen.

It'll be interesting to see how director John Corey portrays Aleo, Gilchrist, regular rider Russell Baze, and the highs and the lows in the life, and death, of Lost in the Fog.

June 21, 2008 "2008 Cinevegas Film Festival Announces Award Winners" (http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=festivals&Id=2179)

Audience Awards
In its tenth year, CineVegas attendance was at a record high, and audiences chose "Lost in the Fog" to receive the CineVegas Documentary Audience Award, presented by FIJI Water, and "Visioneers" to receive the CineVegas Dramatic Audience Award, presented by Cadillac.

From director John Corey, "Lost in the Fog" follows a cantankerous owner and his blue collar colt who earn the right to take on horse racing’s finest.

Reportedly the website is/will be: http://www.lostinthefogthemovie.com/

[Glimmerglass]

I'm amazed by the timing as my prior posting was without this new that broke today :(

Looks like Harry and Fog will be united this evening again.

DRF 6/22/2008 "Harry Aleo dies; owned Lost in the Fog" (http://drf.com/news/article/95717.html)

Harry Aleo, owner of the 2005 Eclipse Award sprinter Lost in the Fog, died Saturday at his home in his native San Francisco, his trainer Greg Gilchrist confirmed Sunday morning. Aleo, 88, had been suffering from cancer.

Aleo, who had worked in real estate, owned horses for 29 years and enjoyed his greatest success with Lost in the Fog, who won his first 10 starts before finishing seventh in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Sprint. Lost in the Fog was suffering from cancer when he was euthanized in 2006. He won 11 of 14 starts and earned $978,099. Among Aleo's other stars were Victorina, Smokey Stover, Frisco Star, Vicarino and Wild Promises. He also owned the stakes winners Minutes Away and Beyond Brilliant. All were trained by Gilchrist.

Aleo entered the game in 1977 when Gilchrist bought Sunny Shy for him. The horse made two starts for and was claimed after winning a maiden claiming race at Golden Gate Fields.

Gilchrist said he will feel Aleo's loss on much more than a professional level.

“I worked a couple of his horses today, and for the first time in 29 years, I didn't talk to Harry about them,” Gilchrist said Sunday. “Just talk about his loyalty. He stayed with me through bad times and good. We had our differences, but we walked away and then went back to work.

“It's left a big hole in my stomach. He was a big brother to me, a father to me.”

Aleo turned down multimillion-dollar offers for Lost in the Fog, joking that he didn't need to make more money to “let my kids blow it.”

Aleo said: “I waited all my life for a horse like this. Why should I sell him? I'd only try to get another just like him.”

Aleo's death will create a hole not only for Gilchrist but also for horse racing in Northern California, where Aleo's horses were based. Although he could have raced Lost in the Fog in richer spots, he brought the horse back home to win the Bay Meadows Speed Handicap in 2005 and open his 2006 season in the Golden Gate Sprint.

“Harry never wanted to leave Northern California with horses,” Gilchrist said. “He never did unless he had to. He wanted to run at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. When he received the Eclipse, he thanked Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. That's one of his loyalties.”

Aleo was an outstanding baseball prospect whose career was cut short due to an arm injury after he signed with the Dodgers in 1940. He later served in the U.S. Army in Europe under Gen. George Patton and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

(article continues .... (http://drf.com/news/article/95717.html))

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Don't know if it's been posted yet, but Harry Aleo passed away yesterday.
RIP.

Oops, looks like we posted at the same time.

[VirginiaBred]

RIP Harry. You get to see LITF again.

[miss_critic]

It's so weird it was the day before the Lost in the Fog stakes and I think he broke his maiden today too. I saw a trailer on that movie on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OPF6_Z7ols

[Glimmerglass]

Thanks miss_critic for that trailer link!

I guess I haven't been paying attention to the assorted stories related to this movie's release: DRF 6-16-08 "Lost in the Fog film unveiled" (http://www.drf.com/news/article/95510.html)

John Corey always looked for good stories for his San Francisco television news magazine, so when he heard about a cantankerous businessman in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco where he grew up, he was immediately interested.

Despite living in one of the most liberal cities in America, the businessman plastered his windows with pictures of Republican icons - but, as Corey found out, there was a much bigger story going on with Harry Aleo.

Aleo's 3-year-old colt Lost in the Fog, trained by Greg Gilchrist, was making headlines and building a legion of fans throughout the 2005 season with a series of impressive victories, including the Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga. Corey sensed something special.

"He was clearly a unique horse, winning his first 10 races all with triple-digit Beyers, but he was a blue-collar horse, like Harry and Greg," Corey said.

Aleo took a liking to Corey, and he and Gilchrist gave Corey wide-ranging access to themselves and Lost in the Fog.

The result is "Lost in the Fog," a documentary that had its world premiere in Las Vegas on Saturday at the 10th annual CineVegas Film Festival, following a smaller screening June 10 in San Francisco. The film was scheduled to be shown again at CineVegas on Monday as Corey tries to attract a distributor.

At times the involvement of the filmmaker was "annoying" and "trying," said Gilchrist, and Corey said he tried to tread gently while still getting a full and honest look at the men behind the horse.

Corey thought he would follow Lost in the Fog until he lost, but even after the colt finished seventh in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Belmont, Corey sensed there was still quite a story to be told, and he stayed with Gilchrist and Aleo.

Corey says it was "dumb luck," but he happened to be interviewing Aleo in the summer of 2006 on the day Gilchrist called him to tell him the colt had cancer. Lost in the Fog was euthanized that September.

"Harry's deaf as a stone, and, as we were shooting, we could hear Greg's voice," Corey said. "It was like a punch in the stomach."

Corey and his crew continued rolling the tape, and Aleo never stopped them, producing the most dramatic and poignant moment in the film.

What emerges in the documentary is a portrait of people at their best both in the best of times, and, perhaps more important, even in the worst.

I was always a fan of LITF and in light of Harry's passing maybe a few more people will be interested in seeing this film.

[johncorey]

My name is John Corey. I am the person who made the movie about Harry and Lost in the Fog. It was a great honor getting to know Harry and I'm glad I was able to generate a document, of sorts, of a chapter of this great man's life. Anyway, yes the film was very well-received at CineVegas where it won the audience award for Best Documentary. It's a testament to Harry's exuberance, candor, and charisma. Many funny stories were told during Harry's funeral service and the best went like this:

Harry's best friend Buddy recounted a funny story from Harry's old baseball-playing days. Their team went to San Quentin prison to play the prison team there. All the players and the umpire were in for one crime or another. The ump called what Harry thought was a questionable strike and Harry said, "what are you in for, robbery?" and the ump replied, "no, murder." Buddy said it was the only time Harry was ever speechless. Best to all on the forum. If anyone is interested in the film, information can be found at www.lostinthefogthemovie.com

John Corey