Giant Ryan: Racing For His Life

As the field powered home in the True North Handicap, 85,000 spectators shared a breathless gasp. While Repole Stable's Caixa Eletronica charged to gain a narrow lead, a bay 6 year old by the name of Giant Ryan was being wrestled down from a lilting gallop. A few, choppy strides and the winner of the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes was splayed out on the dirt oval of Belmont Park. The equine ambulance rushed to the scene; black curtains were stationed around the fallen warrior, shielding him from a horrified Belmont Stakes crowd.

The horse heaved to his hooves and was fitted with a splint; after a van ride back to his stall, the verdict was that Giant Ryan had fractured both left front sesamoids and suffered ligament damage to the back of the same ankle. His owner and trainer, the father-son team of Bisnath and Shivananda Parboo, were appalled. Only a week before the race, Ryan had galloped a tidy four furlongs in 49 flat; the fourth fastest work of sixteen at the distance. No one would have suspected that this same horse would go on to collapse while battling for the lead.

In the following days, Ryan was shipped to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center: the same facility that treated Barbaro in the months following his breakdown. In order for Giant Ryan to carry on to a career at stud, a procedure is planned to fuse the fetlock joint back together.

These plans were delayed, however, when the injured leg was found to be receiving limited blood flow.



"Treatment is being given in effort to restore the blood supply so that the fusion surgery can be safely performed at a later date," Said Dr. Richardson, chief of large animal surgery at New Bolton. "He is comfortable and stable, but we will need to do further tests assessing his injured limb before we proceed with any surgery."

This is a blow beneath the belt for all fans of horse racing. When any one of our equine athletes is injured, we must work to the best of our abilities to preserve their life and future. Teams like Shivananda Racing are an asset to the industry; with the extensive treatment Giant Ryan is being given, it is clear that his connections truly care about their runners. The future is not clear for of this hard-trying horse. I, along with thousands of horse lovers around the world, will be praying for the well-being of the valiant Giant Ryan. He has served racing to the best of his abilities, and it is my hope that he may go on to be a sire of sires in the Thoroughbred breed.