Champion sprinter Patches O'Houlihan is euthanized, age 5

Patches O'Houlihan, Canada's 2024 horse of the year, was euthanized Thursday.

In a statement posted on the Woodbine website, owner-breeder Frank Di Giulio Jr. said the 5-year-old gelding sustained a soft tissue injury while galloping out after winning the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes on June 28.

"It was hoped that he would recover well enough to be retired to pasture," Di Giulio wrote. "However, in the time since then, his prognosis worsened. We consulted with veterinarians and surgeons on an ongoing basis, and it was determined surgery was not a viable option for a sustained quality of life."

Patches O'Houlihan also won Sovereign awards as Canada's best sprinter in 2023 and 2024. Trained by Bob Tiller, he had a lifetime record of 16: 13-1-0 and earnings of $853,848.

In addition to the Highlander, Patches O'Houlihan's other graded-stakes wins came in the Vigil (G3) and  Bold Venture (G3) in both 2023 and 2024.

"We are going to dearly miss watching him run, as will his many fans," Di Giulio wrote. "He gave us so much pleasure and so many thrills during his career.

"Patches O’Houlihan was an amazing animal that was beautiful both inside and out. He absolutely loved to race and possessed outstanding heart and desire, and was as honest as they come."