by Mike Curry

Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Big City Man died on Sunday shortly after completing a six-furlong workout at Hollywood Park. Trainer Jeff Mullins said he was taken to a nearby emergency clinic, where he was diagnosed with a strangulated cecum.

The cecum is a fermentation pouch between the large and small intestines.

“It’s kind of like an appendix for humans, but horses can’t live without it,” Mullins said.

Big City Man had not raced since winning the Golden Shaheen on March 28 (video), but the four-year-old Northern Afleet colt was working steadily toward his return from the layoff. He worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 handily on Sunday at Hollywood but subsequently showed signs of colic in his stall.

“He was a really good horse to be around, he could be tough at times, but he loved his job,” Mullins said. “That’s how he was on Sunday. He went out and took care of his business.

“We watched another set breeze, and when we got back to the barn he was showing signs of colic. We treated him right away and when he didn’t show any improvement, we rushed him to the clinic. They operated on him and called us back and said there really wasn’t anything they could do. … It was hard.”

After winning three of four starts as a juvenile, including a pair of stakes at Calder Race Course, Big City Man was purchased privately by Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud al Kabeer and transferred to Jerry Barton for the Dubai International Racing Carnival. He won three of four starts this year, finishing second to Gayego in the Dayjur Mahab Al Shimal (UAE-G3) in his only defeat of the season, and won the Golden Shaheen by 1 1/4 lengths over champion Indian Blessing in what was his final career start.

After the Dubai Racing Carnival he was transferred to Southern California to Mullins’s barn.

Bred in Florida by Four Horsemen’s Ranch, Big City Man posted six wins and two seconds in eight starts and amassed $1,521,505 in purse earnings. He is out of the winning Valid Appeal mare Mini Appeal.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor