The legacy of a laminitis fighter: Dr. Agne's brave run in a Saratoga stakes race

News flash: Dr. Agne, an up-and-coming two-year-old racehorse named for the late equine podiatry veterinarian Bob Agne of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, made his second career start on Thursday, August 28 in the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga.

You didn’t have to be a racing fan to want this horse to win at Saratoga today. You just had to hear his story.

 

On July 11, 2025, many of us watched a young two-year-old Thoroughbred win his first start at Saratoga racecourse in upstate New York. It wasn't just your average horse race; this colt has a story

His story is about his dam. His story is about his name. But mostly, his story is about laminitis and the people who fight it.

The horse world erupted with a combination of tears and cheers that day as the gutsy two-year-old colt burst on the scene with a decisive win. Dr. Agne is the namesake of the popular equine podiatry veterinarian Dr. Bob Agne of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, who inspired Lady Eli's team back in July 2015.

 

This video is a feature created by the New York Racing Association's Saratoga Live team to tell Dr. Agne's story.

 

Lady Eli was still in rehabilitation at the end of that summer, when Dr. Agne headed out on his bike for a long Labor Day ride in Vermont. He never returned. He was struck and killed by a car on a mountain road.

Dr. Bob Agne was a veterinarian at the Rood & Riddle
Equine Hospital's podiatry clinic in Kentucky
for several years but had relocated to Saratoga to work
in the practice's new hospital there when Lady Eli was
diagnosed with laminitis at Belmont Park. Here he is
demonstrating continuous digital hypothermia (a form
of prolonged distal limb ice immersion therapy)
employed during laminitis treatment.

Dr. Agne, who worked on the filly with colleague Bryan Fraley, DVM of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky, would never know that Lady Eli fully recovered and that she would write herself a new kind of black type in the record books–the record books of laminitis, that is. 

 

Lady Eli not only survived laminitis, she returned to racing just 13 months later and went right back to winning. She scored three post-laminitis Grade I victories (the Gamely, the Jenny Wiley, and the Diana), was a very close second in the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf that year, and won the Eclipse Award as champion turf female, all after recovering from laminitis.

 

• • • • • 

Lady Eli was hard to forget. But the thing about racemares is that their colts and fillies eventually show up at the races, and keep their stories alive. That's exactly what happened on July 11.

Drs. Agne and Fraley weren’t mentioned very much in the years after Lady Eli retired. She went to the breeding shed, and her first two foals raced in Europe, so the laminitis story was all but forgotten, at least until this summer.

An Eclipse award and 2014 Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner,  Lady Eli ran 14 times in her career, finishing first in 10 races and second in three. (Wikimedia image)

 

Another key player in the Lady Eli story was Cherie DeVaux, assistant trainer to Chad Brown, Lady Eli’s trainer. Chad Brown has won five Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer in the United States, and he was devoted to Lady Eli, but the day to day rehab care of the filly fell on the shoulders of Cherie DeVaux.

Over the following years, DeVaux advanced to her own training career, with considerable success.  But she never forgot her ordeal with laminitis and Lady Eli. When the chance came to train Lady Eli’s first foal to run in the United States, she added him to her barn at Saratoga.

And she named Lady Eli's son, too: "Dr. Agne" was the name she chose.

 

Today's With Anticipation Stakes will be broadcast live on the FoxSports 2 cable network but you can watch it live on the New York Racing Association's YouTube channel. NYRA's stream is the entire day's card, so look for Race 7. Approximate post time is 4:20 pm.

Dr. Agne is not just out of one of America’s leading champion racemares; he is sired by Into Mischief, who is the six-time – and reigning – champion sire in the United States. Into Mischief is the sire of the top three-year-old this year, the mighty Sovereignty, who has been on a roll and consecutively won the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes.

The colt made his first start at Saratoga on July 11. Like his dam, he has been trained for a career as a turf runner, but the weather had other ideas that day. The turf course was closed, and the race defaulted to the dirt track; it was run at seven furlongs. That turned out to not be a problem for Dr. Agne, even though he may have had to run the race with flat turf shoes on. 

 

He won easily, charging through traffic with his white blaze making him easy to spot. He hit the finish line with steely determination reminiscent of Lady Eli herself.

As if those storybook elements weren’t enough, when Dr. Agne strode into the winner’s circle, he was greeted by the human Dr. Agne's wife,  Carrie, who was Cherie DeVaux's guest that day. 

Lady Eli now lives at Coolmore America's bucolic Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. The perfect post script to this story is that the equine podiatry team from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, where Dr. Bob Agne worked, still care for her hooves.

Today he tried to do it all again, but on grass. And with more serious competition. And at a longer distance. And around two turns.  

As if this story couldn't get any warmer or any fuzzier, consider this: Lady Eli is alive and well in Versailles, Kentucky in the deep green pastures of Coolmore America's Ashford Stud. She's busy raising more foals but, ten years after her laminitis, her hooves are cared for there by Dr. Bob Agne's colleagues from the Rood & Riddle Equine Podiatry Center. 

You can bet on this horse's story to make you smile and maybe cry at the same time. And those are the best kind of bets you could ever make on any horse.

Post Script: Dr. Agne did not win the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga, but he did come charging late again. It just wasn't enough this time. He finished fourth. But hopefully he'll be back.

Special thanks to the New York Racing Association, publicist Christian Abdo, and Coglianese Photo for their support and assistance at the track.

HoofSearch is the monthly report on new peer-reviewed equine lameness research, featuring
new hoof science and equine podiatry studies. Click here to visit hoofsearch.com and learn more about this important project.

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Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital opens doors for International Equine Podiatry Conference April 18-20, 2024

Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky will host the third International Equine Podiatry Conference.

The doors to the forge are always open at the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Someone is always going in or out, and the equine podiatry clinic is a favorite stop on every hospital tour. But from April 18-20 this year, the doors will open even wider to welcome attendees to the hospital's third International Podiatry Conference. 

Attendees should expect to roll up their sleeves, buckle their aprons, and spend two days in a stimulating state-of-the-art treatment and diagnosis center where the highly-trained staff looks expertly -- and exclusively -- at the equine hoof. A registration at this conference guarantees that the motivated participants can and will get their hands dirty and their questions answered.

Event announcement: Laminitis researcher Chris Pollitt headlines ESP Laminitis and Podiatry Conference October 11-12 in Pennsylvania

You're invited! Laminitis researcher and author Professor Chris Pollitt of Australia will lead a roster of seven well-known farrier and veterinarian speakers to address practical and research developments to treat and prevent laminitis and advance the success of podiatry in the treatment of hoof disease. The two-day conference, organized by Equine Soundness Professionals (ESP), will be held October 11-12, 2019 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

This conference is limited to 60 attendees and is designed for ESP members and other professional farriers and veterinarians. For further information about this event, remaining sponsorship opportunities or media inquiries, contact Dave Gilliam at (214) 907-3380 or email dave@equisporthoofcare.com. The conference website is www.laminitispodiatryconference.com.

ESP 1.0 Event: First Equine Soundness Professionals seminar details for March 16 in Florida

Veterinarians and farriers have a chance to be part of history on Saturday, March 16 when the new Equine Soundness Professionals ("ESP") organization hosts its first open seminar in Wellington, Florida. Advance registration is required to attend.

Continuing Education: Rood & Riddle will host 2019 International Equine Podiatry Conference in Kentucky

On April 12-13, 2019, the curtain will rise on the first Rood and Riddle International Equine Podiatry Conference. Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky will host an in-depth education and skill development experience for 60 advanced veterinarians and farriers.

Equine Soundness Professionals Organization Launches Credential Testing; March Seminar Planned

After just six weeks of intensive planning and organizing, the new Equine Soundness Professionals group is ready to begin voluntary testing for qualified member veterinarians and farriers.

FormaHoof Hoofcare Technology at the AAEP Convention: Is this hoof barefoot, shod...or protected?

FormaHoof is a new 3D hoof support process from Dubai. The hoof is not quite shod, and it's not exactly bare. Top farriers and equine podiatry veterinarians are singing FormaHoof's praises for not only the treatment capabilities of the molded coatings, but also the remarkable amount of sole growth and concavity they see at treatment's end. FormaHoof will be exhibiting at the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention Trade Show, December 2-5 in San Francisco.

Whatever you call it, it has people talking. And looking. And asking questions. Until this week, FormaHoof seemed like just an interesting idea with a few slick videos on social media and a promise of results for rehabilitating hooves. “Liquid” horseshoes, some people called them. “Invisible” horseshoes, others said.

“3D” horseshoes?  We’ve heard that before, and can buy alternatives that claim the same effect, but for a lot less than the upfront investment in FormaHoof hoof treatment costs. Why, then, are farriers and veterinarians now buying and using the system?

What's on your screen? Update on Professor Chris Pollitt's Illustrated Horse's Foot Web Site and Book

There's been a secret in the hoof world for the past year, and it's time to make sure that you know about it.

When Professor Chris Pollitt's new reference book, The Illustrated Horse's Foot, debuted in 2016, the detailed illustrations stole the show--and all the publicity. But was some of the message lost?

Shoeing for the Roses: Girvin's Kentucky Derby Quarter Crack and New Horseshoe Details

Photos and text © Fran Jurga and Dr. Raul Bras

Note: This story was updated to reflect the latest changes made on May 3.

There can be speed bumps on the road to the Kentucky Derby. There can be detours. And there can be road blocks.

The trick is being able to tell which one you're facing when a problem threatens to disrupt your colt's chances to run for glory on the first Saturday in May.

Sometimes a little detour can actually pay off, and one of this year's runners is out to prove that it pays off to take the scenic route.

Virginia Tech launches second permanent vet school farrier facility; longtime consulting farrier Paul Goodness and team will now be on site in Leesburg

Virginia farrier Paul Goodness (right) is moving his successful farrier business out of his barn and into the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, the satellite veterinary hospital in Northern Virginia for Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. After serving more than 25 years as the hospital's contract farrier, he and his team, including his son Luke, left, will now be on-site full time. (Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center photo)

This week the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, Virginia is announcing the launch of a permanent farrier facility. Longtime hospital contract farrier Paul Goodness is in the process of moving his team to Leesburg where he will begin his new staff role as in-­house Chief of Farrier Services for Virginia Polytechnic University, Leesburg division.

The EMC is Virginia Polytechnical University’s satellite referral equine hospital and research center for the Virginia­-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. The state-­of­-the-­art facility is located west of Washington, DC.

Advanced Farrier Certificate Program Launched at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Farrier education in the United States now has a higher level. Today Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) announced the July 2016 launch of a one-year certificate program in advanced farriery skills. The new program will be hosted at the vet school’s main campus at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (“Virginia Tech”) in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Palm Beach Equine Clinic Welcomes Dr. Stephen O’Grady for Consultation Services this Winter

Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) in Wellington, Florida shared the news last week that equine podiatry consultant Stephen E. O’Grady, DVM, MRCVS, will join its forces this winter.

The Last Set: Bob Agne, DVM, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital Podiatry Veterinarian, Killed

If you live in New England and turned on the news today, you heard about a cyclist killed by a car on a Vermont road yesterday. You might not pay much attention, it's one of so many accidents that happened over Labor Day weekend.

But that one news story was different. The victim was Bob Agne, DVM, an equine podiatry veterinarian at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital's new satellite hospital in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Rood and Riddle equine podiatry veterinarian Bob Agne, DVM was killed on Monday, September 7 in Vermont

Bob was cycling on a Vermont highway on Labor Day afternoon when a motorist driving in the opposite direction fell asleep and lost control at the wheel, according to news reports, which added that Bob was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Bob loved his work with horses and was dedicated to improving care for horses with hoof problems, especially with respect to laminitis prevention and treatment.

Rood and Riddle's Scott Morrison, DVM, shared his thoughts on the loss of his colleague and friend on Tuesday:

"On September 7, 2015, the equine community lost a most valuable, skilled and compassionate equine podiatry veterinarian. Dr Robert Agne was the first podiatry intern at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital's podiatry center in 2003 and was then hired on afterwards as a podiatry clinician.

"He was a valued and much-appreciated colleague, who was adored and respected by his clients, colleagues and the Rood and Riddle staff. He cared for many cases with unyielding commitment, patience and integrity. 

"Dr Agne was a dear and true friend to all those who had the privilege to know him."

Dr. Bob Agne graduated from both the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's Farrier Program, where he studied under Michael Wildenstein, FWCF (Hons), and the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he received his DVM degree. In 2003, he moved to Lexington, Kentucky and became the first staff member to augment Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital's fledgling but growing podiatry clinic's original staff of farrier Manfred Ecker, now retired, and veterinarian Scott Morrison.

Twelve years later, Dr. Agne and his wife, Carrie Crowley Agne, moved to the Saratoga, New York area, where he headed the satellite Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital's equine podiatry services. Included in his recent clients was the undefeated three-year-old Thoroughbred filly Lady Eli, who suffered from laminitis following a foot puncture wound this spring at New York's Belmont Park. 


On Thursday, the Daily Racing Form published an unusual article (for that publication). It reported Bob's death from the point of view of his work helping Lady Eli with her laminitis, and included an update on her condition.

The Form interviewed Lady Eli's trainer, Chad Brown, about his relationship with Bob, who would drive all the way from Saratoga down to Long Island's Belmont Park for the filly. This is what Brown said:

“For him to drop what he’s doing and come down and try to first save this filly and then continue to check on her and be available whenever you needed him to come down, I can just tell for a guy like him it was never about the accolades or the money, it was about trying to help this horse,” Brown said. “For the short time I knew him, it seemed like that’s what he was all about, the horse.”

Dr. Agne spoke at many conferences and his writing on laminitis and foot infections was published in journals and books in the United States and Japan. He was especially devoted to following laminitis innovations and research and in 2014 was a founder of the Veterinary Equine Podiatry Group.

The wonderful poem, "The Hoofs of the Horses", is posted here in Bob's memory.

I often share the poem "The Hoofs of the Horses" at times like this. I think horseman/poet Will Ogilvie wrote these words long ago because he knew we'd need something like it for a new generation of people who are stirred by hoofs. Bob Agne is quietly, and with his characteristically understated dignity, at the head of that line. If you can ever get your hands on a book of Will Ogilvie's poems, do it. And don't ever let it go. The same goes for knowing people like Bob Agne.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing 2015.  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The Hoof Blog (Hoofcare Publishing) has not received any direct compensation for writing this post. Hoofcare Publishing has no material connection to the brands, products, or services mentioned, other than products and services of Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Polyflex Horseshoes Hosts Informational Farrier Session with VEPG Chair Mark Silverman at Palm Beach Farrier Supply

On Saturday, January 31, Polyflex Horseshoes hosted an informational session for farriers with Mark Silverman, MS, DVM, owner of Sport Horse Veterinary Services in Rancho Santa Fe, California. He is also a partner in Southern California Equine Podiatry with farrier Ernest Woodward.

Mark Silverman is chair of the new Veterinary Equine Podiatry Group (VEPG), Inc., an initiative by a group of veterinarians who would like to see a veterinary specialization established for equine podiatry. The group is just beginning on this effort and is probably years from establishing a recognized and credentialed program.

Veterinary Equine Podiatry Group Announced at 2014 AAEP Convention, Will Pursue Board Specialization Status

At the 60th Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), held December 5 to 9, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Veterinary Equine Podiatry Group, Inc. publicly announced its existence and intended mission.

Morrison: Utilize Support during Stall Time to Prevent Capsular Distortion in the Thoroughbred Racehorse's Foot

The following advice is provided by Scott E. Morrison, DVM of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky:

Foot problems can commonly cause horses to be scratched from a race, lose training days, overload other structures and have shortened careers.

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital to Acquire Saratoga Equine Veterinary Service

via press release

The shareholders of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky and Dr. Bill and Diana Barnes of Saratoga Springs New York are pleased to announce that Rood and Riddle will purchase Saratoga Equine Veterinary Service in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Connecticut Drops Charges Against "Equine Podiatrist" for Illegal Practice of Veterinary Medicine

For years, Connecticut has been known as the wealthiest state in the United States of America. Add to that the highest number of horses per square mile of any state. It's also one of the most beautiful states. If you had to pick a state to live in and run a farrier business, you couldn't do much better for job security than Connecticut.

After a state legal decision made there last month, it might be an even better state in which to be an equine podiatrist.

Ric Redden returns to practice

A post card tumbled out of the pile of mail today. It's an announcement from Dr. Ric Redden that he is reopening his private equine podiatry practice in Versailles, Kentucky. You can call Doc for consults or referrals at 859 873 5294. His web site is www.nanric.com. Welcome back, Doc!