When early 2011 Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo was scratched from the field just a few days before the race, many horse racing enthusiasts were left scratching their heads. His connections said the colt had a gastrointestinal tract infection; However no further diagnosis had been reached despite continued veterinary examination. Finally, an answer came several weeks after Uncle Mo’s Derby scratch: Veterinarians diagnosed the colt with cholangiohepatits, a relatively rare condition in horses.

Essentially, cholangiohepatitis (CH) is an inflammation of the bile system (cholangitis) and liver (hepatitis). There is no particular breed or discipline predilection for developing CH.

Uncle Mo (photo taken June 6) is recovering well from a case of cholangiohepatitis at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky. (

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