Early Voting (Gun Runner), who got 120 mares in foal during his first season at stud last season before a rare condition led to his being removed from stud duties on the advice of veterinary experts, has been cured and will continue his stud career at Taylor Made Stallions in 2024. He covered his first book of mares in 2023 at Ashford Stud.
Winner of the 2022 GI Preakness S. for Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown, Early Voting retired with three wins from six starts and earnings in excess of $1.3 million. Though he successfully stopped his mares and though his sperm were fertile, he was later found to be unable to continue his career and was subsequently diagnosed with Anejaculatory Syndrome, an inability to ejaculate.
According to a release, a member of the Early Voting management team was acquainted with the work of a New Zealand-based veterinarian and scientist named Dr. Padraig (Paddy) O'Casiagh, who had treated males of the rarest species of birds in New Zealand–the Kakapo–for precisely the same condition. O'Casiagh had developed his diagnostic and treatment protocols along with Professor Sir Graham ('Mont') Collingwood Liggins FRS, a pioneer in the research of human fetal development and birth. O'Casaigh and Liggins together formed the Mont Liggins Trust to further fertility research.
“Early Voting has a very rare condition that is difficult to diagnose and treat,” said Dr. O'Casiagh. “Because of the work of the Mont Liggins Trust with the Kakapo and Tuatara (a native New Zealand reptile that is the closest living relative to the dinosaur), we have developed a very unique diagnostic suite for this exact scenario. I feel very fortunate to be involved and have had the assistance of our many international colleagues. It is such a credit to all the interested parties who have gone literally to the end of the earth for Early Voting's welfare.”
Added Taylor Made's Duncan Taylor: “We were contacted by Dr. O'Casiagh to stand Early Voting and we are very happy to have the opportunity.”
This story will be updated
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
