Two Phil's, a multiple Grade 3 winner who finished second in this year's Kentucky Derby, has been retired from racing due to a fractured sesamoid discovered after winning the Grade 3 Ohio Derby over the weekend, Daily Racing Form reports.
Stud plans are still to be determined for the son of Hard Spun, who ends his career with five wins in 10 starts and earnings of $1,583,450. He was trained by Larry Rivelli for owners Patricia's Hope, Phillip Sagan, and Madaket Stables, and he was bred in Kentucky by Sagan.
After winning the Ohio Derby by 5 3/4 lengths on June 24 and showing no signs of trouble in the immediate aftermath, an ankle injury was discovered on the colt the following day.
He was shipped to Rivelli's barn at Hawthorne Race Course where radiographs were taken, and the fractured sesamoid was diagnosed by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Rivelli told DRF that the prognosis for a full recovery to racing at the same level as before the injury was “poor to fair,” prompting his connections to retire the horse.
A well-traveled runner, Two Phil's broke his maiden in his second career start at Colonial Downs, then he took the Shakopee Juvenile Stakes at Canterbury Park, and he later finished his juvenile season with a win in the G3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. After finishing in the money in a pair of prep races at the Fair Grounds, he clinched his spot in the Kentucky Derby with a convincing victory in the G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.
In the Kentucky Derby, Two Phil's was placed just off the pace by jockey Jareth Loveberry after breaking from an inside post, and he appeared clear in the stretch before being caught in the final strides by Mage.
Two Phil's will be shipped to Kentucky within the next week to be made available for inspection for farms interested in a stud deal.
Read more at Daily Racing Form.
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