Two Phil's, who scored his third career graded stakes win on Saturday with an overpowering 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at JACK Thistledown, came out of the race with an injury to his right front ankle that likely will need surgery, Marcus Hersh reported on Sunday in Daily Racing Form.
The Kentucky Derby runner-up was bet down to 3-5 favoritism in the Ohio Derby and justified those odds, tracking the early speed under Gerardo Corrales, taking command into the stretch and drawing away from 7-5 second choice Bishops Bay. The latter was coming off a narrow defeat to Arcangelo in the G3 Peter Pan at Belmont Park, a result that looked even better after Arcangelo won the final leg of the Triple Crown, the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 10.
Two Phil's earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in the Ohio Derby, equalling the figure he received when second, beaten a length by Mage, in the G1 Kentucky Derby.
On Sunday morning, however, Rivelli told Daily Racing Form that a problem was detected in the Hard Spun 3-year-old colt's right front ankle. He was vanned the 325 miles from Thistledown to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., where he will be evaluated by Dr. Larry Bramlage.
“It probably puts him out for the rest of the year,” Rivelli was quoted as saying, though he admitted not knowing the extent of the injury.
Produced from the General Quarters mare, Mia Torri, Two Phil's was bred in Kentucky by Phillip Sagan and is owned by Sagan in partnership with Patricia's Hope LLC and Madaket Stables LLC. Mia Torri was a two-time stakes winner and second in a pair of G3 stakes.
Rivelli indicated to Daily Racing Form that there has been interest from stallion farms and that it is possible Two Phil's – whose earlier G3 victories included the Street Sense at Churchill Downs and Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park – may not race again.
“He doesn't owe us anything,” Rivelli told Daily Racing Form. “In my experience, they aren't usually the same after something like this.”
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