Lost Code Rejected for Breeding After Failing Veterinarian’s Exam

Lost Code, whose arrival at Cardiff Stud farm would have boosted California’s mediocre breeding industry, has been rejected because he did not pass a veterinarian’s examination.

Fred Sahadi, the owner of Cardiff, could not be reached to be asked what specifically prevented him from accepting Lost Code as a stallion prospect. Steve Sahadi, Fred’s son, would not comment about Lost Code’s problem, but he confirmed that the horse would not be coming to Cardiff and added that his father was planning an announcement soon.

Last month Donald Levinson, who raced Lost Code, announced that the 4-year-old colt was going to Cardiff, with Levinson retaining 24 annual breeding shares and Sahadi 16. The price for a share was listed at $75,000, giving Lost Code a book value of $3 million.

Levinson also could not be reached for comment.

Although injuries sidelined Lost Code for good in July, he still ranks ninth on this year’s purse list with earnings of $951,428 and was considered one of 1988’s best handicap horses.

Lost Code, who won 15 of 27 lifetime starts and earned $2 million, underwent surgery in July after he almost died from a twisted intestine. And Lost Code twice had bone chips removed from his left knee.

He had resumed training recently for a campaign as a 5-year-old in 1989 but was retired because, according to trainer Bill Donovan, “a lot of people wanted a part of him for breeding.”

Lost Code, whose late sire, Codex, won the Preakness, would have joined Flying Paster, Desert Wine, Skywalker and Al Mamoon as part of the stallion band at Cardiff. This year the farm lost another stallion, Naevus, when members of the breeding syndicate elected to move the horse to Kentucky.