Kip Deville euthanized

Kip Deville, winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile and $3 million earner, lost his long battle with laminitis Friday. The 7-year-old horse was euthanized at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., according to a Blood-Horse report.

Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables told the Blood-Horse that the syndicate "just wanted him to live a happy life. He deserved that."

Kip Deville underwent colic surgery twice last fall, then developed laminitis in both front feet.

Iavarone said that the partners who owned Kip Deville, a Kipling horse, opted to continue treating Kip Deville because "he wanted to be alive, and he deserved every chance."

IEAH purchased a majority interest in Kip Deville in 2006, and the gray thereafter raced for a group that included IEAH, Andrew Cohen, Steve Cohen, and John Roberts's Pegasus Holdings. In 2007, he won the Breeders' Cup Mile after his owners supplemented him to the race. He returned in 2008 to finish second behind future turf champion Goldikova.

Bred by Center Hills Farm, the Oklahoma-bred Kip Deville also won the 2009 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, the 2007 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap, and back-to-back runnings of the Maker's Mark Mile in 2007 and 2008. A four-time Grade 1 winner, he won a total of 10 stakes and placed in four others, including a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.

From 12 wins in 30 lifetime starts, racing from age 2 to age 6, he earned a total of $3,325,489.

Richard Dutrow Jr. trained Kip Deville for IEAH Stables and their partners. Before IEAH purchased Kip Deville, Mike Neatherlin trained him for Dee Neatherlin and Roy Cobb.

Klondike Kaytie, by Encino, was Kip Deville's dam. A stakes-winner herself, she also is the dam of a stakes-winning half-brother, Gotthard.

Kip Deville's success lifted his sire's career. Just months before his son won the 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile, sire Kipling was standing at Mighty Acres Farm in Pryor, Okla., for $2,500. The Gulch horse relocated to Crestwood Farm in Kentucky for the 2008 season, when he had a $7,500 stud fee. He now stands at Crestwood for $5,000.