"Veterinary Notes for the Standardbred Breeder"
Dr. William McGee was a pioneer in the care of foals and broodmares. He authored several papers and books regarding the care of breeding stock, including “Veterinary Notes for the Standardbred Breeder” and the “Veterinary Notebook.” He also coined the term “shaker foal syndrome,” after he treated many foals affected with this condition in the vicinity of Shaker Village.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
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Dr. William McGee
Dr. McGee saw a number of Triple Crown winners—War Admiral, Whirlaway, Count Fleet, Assault, Citation, and Affirmed—after they went out to stud, according to his son, Bill McGee Jr.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
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Man o’ War
One of Dr. McGee’s most famous patients was the legendary Man o’ War. Even though he never won the Triple Crown, Man o’ War is considered one of the greatest Thoroughbred race horses of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races and about $250,000.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
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Dr. McGee examines a horse
Dr. McGee was president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in 1964 and the Thoroughbred Club of America in 1967. He also provided leadership during health scares involving equine infectious anemia (swamp fever) in the 1940s and contagious equine metritis in the 1970s by helping to develop strategies to prevent the spread of the diseases.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Ali McGee Kelly
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Dr. McGee and family
Dr. McGee graduated from the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine on June 4, 1940. The following two days, he took the state boards, and on June 7, he got married. Later that month, he and his wife, Alice, moved to Lexington, Kentucky, to start his internship at Hagyard & Hagyard (now Hagyard Equine Medical Institute). The couple had two children, Bill Jr. (pictured) and Mike.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Ali McGee Kelly
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Dr. Vince Baker
Dr. Vince Baker is owner of the Equine Medical Center near Los Alamitos racetrack and attending veterinarian for trainer Bob Baffert. He has five partners in his Thoroughbred veterinary practice, the largest such practice in California. “I’m 57 years old and still want to be the first veterinarian on the racetrack in the morning and I want to have the biggest practice. I care about the horses. It’s something I’m sure was instilled in me from my father. Horse racing is still the love of my life,” Dr. Baker said.
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American Pharoah's ground transportation trailer
After winning the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on June 6, 2015, American Pharoah was flown back to his home at the Santa Anita racetrack. Dr. Baker recalls standing in Bob Baffert’s barn and watching TV in the trainer’s office as the horse arrived to huge crowds and the media. On the screen he saw a helicopter flying over Interstate 210 and an 18-wheeler with “American Pharoah” written on top being escorted by police cars. “That gets me choked up now thinking about it. It was really cool,” Dr. Baker said.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Vince Baker
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American Pharoah's homecoming crowd
Dr. Baker recalls four college students from Michigan coming all the way to California to see American Pharoah. “They just wanted to take a picture with him. That’s crazy, but you might love a specific sports team or musician and fly to another state to watch a concert. Well, people did the same thing for American Pharoah,” he said.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Vince Baker
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Trainer Bob Baffert with American Pharoah
Dr. Vince Baker graduated from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. For his first 15 years or so, he would work with Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos during the day, then do farm work with broodmares at night. Later he would get into Thoroughbred work at Santa Anita, where he began working with trainer Bob Baffert (pictured with American Pharoah) in 1989.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Vince Baker
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