California Chrome will miss the Arlington Million (G1) with an injury and may be retired. (Photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
While Triple Crown winner American Pharoah looks as good as ever as he continues his preparation for his next outing in the Haskell Invitational (G1), the sport lost some real star power over the past few days.
The 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner California Chrome appears unlikely to race again in 2015, ending any hopes we could see a showdown between him and American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). The colt seems likely heading to the breeding shed.
The colt was pointing toward the Arlington Million (G1) on Aug. 15 but his connections announced he was diagnosed with a bruised cannon bone.
His last start was a runner up finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 28. He then was going to make a start at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1), first prepping in the J.T. Lockinge Stakes (G1), but he failed to make either race. A foot bruise knocked him out of the Prince of Wales days before the race.
“He’s probably out for the rest of the year,” Sherman said via Bloodhorse. “It’s three months, but that’s almost the rest of the year, and if you’re going to race him again, you have to get him back into training. If they decide to run him next year, he’ll be fine… (The owners) haven’t made up their mind, but I’ll know in the next couple days.”
On Monday, it was announced that Main Sequence has been retired. The 2014 champion turf male and older male had run a disappointing seventh in the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth Park.
Flaxman Holdings’ racing manager Alan Cooper posted on their web site, “Following Main Sequence’s poor performance in the United Nations Stakes, a thorough veterinary examination was carried out last week. A tendon tear was discovered and the decision has been taken to retire him. The 2014 Eclipse champion turf male and Eclipse champion older male has given his owners great pleasure throughout his career.”
Perhaps the most disappointing is the news that the brilliant filly Lady Eli is suffering from laminitis. The filly is undefeated in six career starts, winning the Belmont Park Oaks Invitational (G1) in her last outing on July 4.
According to co-owner Jay Hanley the filly stepped on a nail coming back from the test barn after her last race. The nail was removed but a week later she started showing signs of laminitis in both feet.
“Thankfully, we have assembled the best possible team of veterinarians and farriers to stabilize her and assist her through these difficult times,” trainer Chad Brown said in a statement. “I ask that all of her fans keep this magnificent racehorse in their prayers and hopefully she will be back on the racetrack flashing her brilliance again.”
Jockey Rajiv Maragh will also be out an extended period of time. The jockey was injured in a spill last Friday at Belmont Park. Maragh’s mount, Yourcreditisgood, clipped heels with Mini Muffin and horse and rider hit the ground hard.
Maragh suffered multiple fractures in his back along with two broken ribs and a punctured lung. Maragh wrote on twitter on July 11 that no surgery would be required and “Won’t be able to ride for a while but I should be walking out of here on my own 2 legs today.”
However, he posted this on July 13:
Day4 in hospital and made my first steps today. It was a bit demanding but great to walk.
— Rajiv Maragh (@RajivMaragh) July 13, 2015
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