hobbes
29-01-2002, 18:51
Posted: 1/28/02 9:54:00 AM ET
Derby winner Monarchos retired with injury
MONARCHOS Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
John Oxley's Monarchos, the second fastest Kentucky Derby (G1) winner in history last year, has been retired with an injury to his left front leg. The four-year-old son of Maria's Mon suffered an injury to the medial branch of the left front superficial digital flexor tendon. A statement from trainer John Ward and Oxley said the injury was first thought to be a ?ap received during morning exercise? but later was diagnosed after an ultrasound examination.
Oxley said no stallion plans have been finalized for Monarchos, who was expected to start in the Donn Handicap (G1) on February 9 at Gulfstream Park. "This is something that just happened. We have seven or eight leading farms that are interested and we'll try to do what's best for the horse," Oxley said.
"I think he may have injured himself when galloping the other morning," Ward said. "He dinged himself and I didn't think that much about it. But he didn't seem himself after that and so we had an ultrasound done on him. He injured a ligament below the front left ankle."
Purchased by Oxley for $170,000 at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Calder sale of selected two-year-olds in training, Monarchos won four of ten career starts with one second and three thirds for $1,720,830 in earnings.
Monarchos was winless in two starts at two but turned things around dramatically at Gulfstream Park last winter at the beginning of his sophomore campaign. He capped a three-race win streak at the Hallandale, Florida racetrack with a 4 ?length win in the Florida Derby (G1).
Monarchos finished second behind Congaree in Aqueduct's Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) in his final start Derby prep. Dismissed at 10.50-to-1 in the Derby, Monarchos launched a furious closing kick from 13th place after the first half-mile to win the 1 ?mile classic by 4 ?lengths from Invisible Ink and Congaree. Ridden by Jorge Chavez, Monarchos won the Derby in 1:59.97, the second-fastest winning time behind Secretariat's 1:59 2/5 in 1973.
"From the beginning when we purchased him at the Calder sale, we had high hopes with him. I was always taken by his bloodlines," Oxley said. "You love all the horses you have to some degree, but he captured my fancy. He captured my heart. He fulfilled all my hopes and dreams of 30 years of being in the industry."
Monarchos failed to duplicate his Derby performance two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and finished a dull sixth, 7 ?lengths behind Point Given. He bounced back slightly in the Belmont Stakes (G1) to finished third but was still 13 lengths behind Point Given in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Training for a possible start in Saratoga Race Course? Travers Stakes (G1), Monarchos suffered a hairline fracture to his right knee knocked and was out for the rest of the season.
Monarchos returned to the races on January 19 in a $40,000 allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream and finished third behind Mongoose and Watch Your Pennies.?om Law and Dave Joseph
Derby winner Monarchos retired with injury
MONARCHOS Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
John Oxley's Monarchos, the second fastest Kentucky Derby (G1) winner in history last year, has been retired with an injury to his left front leg. The four-year-old son of Maria's Mon suffered an injury to the medial branch of the left front superficial digital flexor tendon. A statement from trainer John Ward and Oxley said the injury was first thought to be a ?ap received during morning exercise? but later was diagnosed after an ultrasound examination.
Oxley said no stallion plans have been finalized for Monarchos, who was expected to start in the Donn Handicap (G1) on February 9 at Gulfstream Park. "This is something that just happened. We have seven or eight leading farms that are interested and we'll try to do what's best for the horse," Oxley said.
"I think he may have injured himself when galloping the other morning," Ward said. "He dinged himself and I didn't think that much about it. But he didn't seem himself after that and so we had an ultrasound done on him. He injured a ligament below the front left ankle."
Purchased by Oxley for $170,000 at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Calder sale of selected two-year-olds in training, Monarchos won four of ten career starts with one second and three thirds for $1,720,830 in earnings.
Monarchos was winless in two starts at two but turned things around dramatically at Gulfstream Park last winter at the beginning of his sophomore campaign. He capped a three-race win streak at the Hallandale, Florida racetrack with a 4 ?length win in the Florida Derby (G1).
Monarchos finished second behind Congaree in Aqueduct's Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) in his final start Derby prep. Dismissed at 10.50-to-1 in the Derby, Monarchos launched a furious closing kick from 13th place after the first half-mile to win the 1 ?mile classic by 4 ?lengths from Invisible Ink and Congaree. Ridden by Jorge Chavez, Monarchos won the Derby in 1:59.97, the second-fastest winning time behind Secretariat's 1:59 2/5 in 1973.
"From the beginning when we purchased him at the Calder sale, we had high hopes with him. I was always taken by his bloodlines," Oxley said. "You love all the horses you have to some degree, but he captured my fancy. He captured my heart. He fulfilled all my hopes and dreams of 30 years of being in the industry."
Monarchos failed to duplicate his Derby performance two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and finished a dull sixth, 7 ?lengths behind Point Given. He bounced back slightly in the Belmont Stakes (G1) to finished third but was still 13 lengths behind Point Given in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Training for a possible start in Saratoga Race Course? Travers Stakes (G1), Monarchos suffered a hairline fracture to his right knee knocked and was out for the rest of the season.
Monarchos returned to the races on January 19 in a $40,000 allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream and finished third behind Mongoose and Watch Your Pennies.?om Law and Dave Joseph