Animal Kingdom out of a successful surgery – Rest and training plan
The Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness Stakes runner-up, Animal Kingdom incurred an injury in the final leg of the Triple Crown, Belmont Stakes, when he clipped heels with a horse and bumped in Mucho Macho Man, almost unseating jockey, John Velazquez.
At first the diagnosed hind leg on June 29 indicated a small fissure on the cannon bone but after a series of X-Rays and scans a hairline slab fracture was discovered and it required surgery. The Leroidesanimaux colt was scheduled for the surgical procedure
on 30 June.
It was revealed on 7 July 2011 by Team Valor International president, Barry Irwin, that the 3-year old bay colt has a successful surgery to repair the hairline slab fracture.
It was said that considering the nature of the injury, surgical process was not necessary but the colt went through with it to reduce recovery time. This injury will surely keep Animal Kingdom out of the action for a year, this will include missing the last
part of the season and maybe the colt will be absent in the spring meet of 2012 season.
The surgical procedure required a set of screws going through the bone to compress the fracture. If it was left to nature to heal Animal Kingdom’s bone then he was in danger of getting arthritis in the leg, said Dr. Dean Richardson.
The Leroidesanimaux colt, out of Dalicia, returned to Fair Hill training centre, a barn owned by trainer Graham Motion, after the surgery. The three-year old bay colt will stall and rest there for two weeks.
Animal Kingdom will start walking for two more weeks after resting at the Fair Hill training centre and for a month he will start exercising on the water treadmill.
If all goes according to plan, his team is hoping he will return back to training after 90 days of mild workout sessions.
Animal Kingdom’s three-year old career brought him ample success, out of five starts he went on to win twice and finished second twice as well. His first success came at the Turfway Park when he was drawn on the field with ten other horses to race in the
Grade 3 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes.
The big win, which made Animal Kingdom, a household name came right after the Spiral Stakes when Animal Kingdom’s connections opted for Triple Crown glory. The three-year old colt responded in the best way by winning the Kentucky Derby, defeating Nehro by
2 ¾ of a length.
Dale Romans, Shackleford shattered the Triple Crown hopes when he defeated Animal Kingdom by half a length to win the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
The Leroidesanimaux colt will be back as a four-year old, recovered, and, looking to gain his reputation back, which is slowly but surely fading, to prove that he is a horse worth rooting for.
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