Florida Pearl put down The Irish National Stud today revealed that Florida Pearl has been put down. The star chaser retired in 2004 after a glittering career that included four victories in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown and success in the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2001. He won a total of 16 of his 33 races and £882,000 in prize money. The Stud released a statement today which is included below:- We are saddened to inform you that on the evening of May 5th 2012 a decision was made on veterinary advice to euthanize Florida Pearl. The twenty-year-old gelding, in residence at the Irish National Stud for five years, was diagnosed with a condition known as haemangisarcoma, a word deriving from "malignant cancer of the blood vessels". It is a rare condition which swiftly affects many organs once it spreads from its primary focus - in this case it originated in the spleen. Florida Pearl was a firm favourite among visitors to the INS and earned his retirement after a career which contained Grade 1 wins in seven seasons. One of the greatest steeplechasers we have seen, his speed was also obvious in his Cheltenham Championship bumper success. Out thanks and sympathies go to the O'Leary family and the Mullins family who have many memories to treasure.
