Everest winner Think About It dies age seven after colic surgery

3 weeks ago 12

By Craig Kerry

February 4, 2026 — 11.20am

“Once-in-a-lifetime horse” Think About It, the 2023 Everest winner, has been euthanised at age seven after complications from colic surgery.

The son of So You Think, a $70,000 buy for syndication company Proven Thoroughbreds and trainer Joe Pride at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, earned $12,163,050, racking up 11 wins in 19 starts before being retired after collapsing with a pulmonary haemorrhage in the Sydney Stakes on Everest day at Randwick in October 2024.

Think About It drives to the front on his way to victory in The Everest in 2023.

To the relief of connections and the massive Everest crowd, the gelding walked off the track and recovered before retiring to the property of regular rider, Sam Clipperton.

Proven Thoroughbreds said they were deeply saddened to announce Think About It had been euthanised on Tuesday.

“A once-in-a-lifetime horse, Think About It rose to stardom in the blink of an eye, progressing from a midweek BM72 to a pair of Group 1s and of course The Everest in a whirlwind 2023,” the company posted on Wednesday morning.

“But where his story became truly remarkable was in the following year when he survived a massive pulmonary haemorrhage after falling in the Sydney Stakes at Randwick.

An emotional Sam Clipperton returns to the enclosure on Think About It after last year’s win in The Everest.

“He was swiftly retired after that scare and placed into the care of his regular jockey Sam Clipperton.

“Unfortunately, our horse affectionately known as ‘Spud’ was not able to cheat death twice. After initially coming through colic surgery successfully, Spud took a turn for the worse despite the efforts of the amazing team at Randwick Equine Centre.

“A high-energy horse, Think About It applied himself 110% to everything he did, without a great deal of self-preservation. He tried his absolute guts out every time he raced and that is all any owner/fan/punter can ever ask for. Maybe he was supposed to ‘Live fast, die young’.

“RIP Spud.”

Think About It won 11 of his first 12 starts, culminating in the $20 million Everest, the richest race on turf, to provide a career highlight for Pride and Clipperton.