The reigning Dominion champion and two-time horse of the year was struck down with a severe bout of colic on Thursday morning and was put down after the extent of his internal problems were realised.
A employee at David Mitchell's Rolleston stables went to feed Jaccka Justy on Thursday morning and saw the horse on the ground ''which wasn't like him'', trainer Jonny Cox said.
''He was thrashing round like they do when they've got colic, so we got him up and started walking him.''
The employee called Cox, who called a vet from Prebbleton.
After some tests, the gelding was transferred to Canterbury Equine Clinic for an ultrasound but the telling detail was to come.
''It wasn't until they opened him up that it was a lot worse than they expected it to be,'' Cox said.
''The small intestine was twisted - there's about 60 foot [18m] of intestine in there and there was only four foot [1.2m] of it that was still alive.''
Cox was left with the difficult decision to make as Jaccka Justy's owners-breeders, Charlie and Ailsa Smaill, are on an extended overseas holiday in the United Kingdom.
''It was a hard call to make, but it was the right call,'' he said.
''The vets said it was the best thing to do for the horse, so you're always guided by the vets.''
The swift turn of events was a blow for Cox, former co-trainer Amber Hoffman and the Smaills, but Cox will never forget the speedy trotter who provided all four of the main characters with their first group 1.
''He's done us proud and he's done Otago and Southland proud as well,'' he said.
''We had all of Otago and Southland cheering us home coming up the straight. It's definitely the biggest thrill of my life and I'll never forget him.'Cox made contact with the Smaills on Thursday night.
''They are obviously devastated as much as me and Amber are.''
The most frustrating aspect for Cox was that the 9yr-old was in top shape having arrived in Canterbury 10 days earlier. Cox was planning to take him to the workouts next week before a start in the DG Jones Trotting Cup at Motukarara on September 27.
''His heart rate was good, his recovery was good. I put him out in the paddock [on Wednesday] - he bucked and kicked around and was good as gold when I left about 4pm,'' he said.
''Colic is one thing they can't really pinpoint why it happens. He might have rolled around in the paddock and the insides just twisted the wrong way maybe.''
Jaccka Justy's death was one of three to hit the harness racing community hard on Thursday.
Mid Canterbury horseman Carl Middleton died in hospital aged 66 while a dispersal sale was being held at the Ashburton racecourse.
Middleton was able to watch the sale of two of his broodmares Savona and Another Love by video link before he died.
Middleton's biggest win was the 1991 Interdominion Trotters' Grand Final with Fraggle Rock.
The other major figure to die on Thursday was JB (John) Noble, the driver of 1976 New Zealand Cup and 1977 Interdominion winner Stanley Rio.
Noble, the son of late trainer George Noble, was 80.
Jaccka Justy
58 starts, 13 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds $235,467
Major wins: 2014 Dominion Trot (group 1), 2013 DG Jones Memorial/Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup (group 3).
