Prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder Eugene Melnyk, also owner of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League, has been hospitalized for over three weeks and it has been determined that he is in 'urgent need' of a liver transplant, according to a statement released on the Senators' website.
“Today, the club wishes to share with the hockey community and our fans that Mr. Melnyk has been sick and battling major health issues since mid-January,” the statement reads in part. “Since then, his medical care and treatment have been the sole focus for him and his family. Mr. Melnyk's family has actively reached out to his close friends and broader family with the hope of identifying someone who could be a 'live liver donor.'”
Members of the public are encouraged to consider being tested to determine whether they may be a suitable donor and may submit this form. Information on becoming a liver donor can be found here.
Melnyk's top horses included champion and leading sire Speightstown as well as 2007 Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian Triple Tiara winner Sealy Hill. He also campaigned Flower Alley to win the 2005 GI Travers S. and finish second in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He later went on to sire Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another. Melnyk, a multiple Sovereign Award winner in Canada, announced last summer that he was retiring from the Thoroughbred business and dispersed much of his stock at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale.
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