Indiana Horse of the Year Demolisher Dies at Age 4
Multiple stakes winner Demolisher, Indiana’s 2024 Horse of the Year, has been euthanized at age 4 following a bout with laminitis. The loss comes just months after a breakout season that saw him dominate at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Bred and raced by Ken and Resia Ayres, the son of Dominus opened his career with five straight wins in 2024, including stakes victories in the Governor's Handicap and the To Much Coffee Handicap.
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📖 Published: December 22nd, 2025
✍️ Updated: December 22nd, 2025
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Demolisher’s Rise and Sudden Loss
Indiana Horse of the Year of 2024 Demolisher Dies at 4 - BloodHorse
Demolisher wins the 2024 To Much Coffee Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis
Indiana Horse of the Year of 2024 Demolisher Dies at 4
Multiple stakes-winning son of Dominus euthanized after bout with laminitis.
Months after being named the 2024 Indiana Thoroughbred Owner's and Breeder's Association's Horse of the Year for 2024, multiple stakes winner Demolisher was euthanized after a bout with laminitis.
"We went from the highest highs as Indiana Horse of the Year to the lowest low ever when we had to say goodbye," said Resia Ayres, who bred and raced Demolisher with husband Ken.
Unraced at 2, Dominant at 3
Unraced at 2, Demolisher proved worth the wait as he won the first five starts of his career in 2024, topped by stakes wins in the Governor's Handicap and the To Much Coffee Handicap. All five of those wins came at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He closed out the season with an unplaced start in the Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.
Honors and Legacy
In March the son of Dominus was honored as ITOBA's top Indiana-bred 3-year-old male and its Horse of the Year.
"It's about as high as we ever expected to have any of our horses," Ken Ayres said at the time. "It's hard to put words to it. Obviously, we're super excited about it."
