Kentucky Derby 2011 winner Animal Kingdom injury serious, Team Valor plan to race him next year
The Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, was thought to have a little fissure on the top of his cannon bone. Early diagnosis revealed a little fracture in his left hind leg.
However, a second set of films revealed a slab fracture on top of the small fissure on 29 June, which will keep him out of action for at least a year.
Coming out of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, where he is believed to have picked up the injury, Mucho Macho Man bumped into Animal Kingdom, who then, clipped heels with another horse, almost unseating the jockey John Velazquez.
According to trainer, Graham Motion, the son of Leroidesanimaux did look sore when he came out of the Belmont Stakes. The movement of the chestnut colt had been lame, which prompted the first set of tests.
Initial diagnosis on 15 June showed a small fracture, which made both trainer, and, owner, hopeful of Animal Kingdom’s return in the fall after missing the summer campaign, but the second one revealed a slab fracture, which will take more time to heal.
It is decided that Animal Kingdom will go into 90 days of rehabilitation after a minor surgery. The surgical procedure will include inserting a s***w to compress the fracture by Dr. Richardson on 30 June.
Considering the nature of the injury, surgery is not important but it will certainly reduce the recovery time in half. It seems that the Kentucky Derby winner and the Preakness Stakes runner-up will resume his career at the age of four and hopefully continue at the age of five as well.
The earliest action towards the well being of Animal Kingdom would be to rest him for four to six weeks and let it heal after surgery, after that he will walk the water treadmill for 90 days.
After getting the rehabilitation period out of the way the three year old chestnut colt will be assessed and if everything goes according to plan he will return at Fair Hill for training.
Team Valor International, who owns the Derby winner, has revealed that there are no talks of retiring, or, selling the colt. Animal Kingdom will train at Fair Hill and will eventually return to Florida. The colt will be prepared to participate in the UAE Group 1 Dubai World Cup, which will be held in March, 2012.
Animal Kingdom ran a single race in his two year old career and finished second in the Maiden Special weight. His three year old career started with a runner-up position in the Allowance Option Claiming race and he eventually announced himself on the big stage by landing the Kentucky Derby.
Tags: