Breakdown mars Distaff

By Robyn Norwood

Nov. 5, 2006 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, KY. — On another afternoon as millions watched on television, a horse pulled up lame on one of racing’s marquee days Saturday.

Pine Island, a 3-year-old filly, broke down as the field started down the backstretch in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs and was later euthanized.

Her rider, Javier Castellano, hit the ground hard and stayed there for a number of minutes before he was loaded into an ambulance, but proved to be fine and later rode Bernardini in the final race.

In a poignant coincidence, the Distaff was won by Round Pond, ridden by Edgar Prado and trained by Michael Matz -- the same pair who teamed to win the Kentucky Derby with Barbaro and then watched in agony as he broke down in the opening moments of the Preakness.

Though Barbaro’s injuries were life-threatening, he is still recuperating in a Pennsylvania veterinary hospital. Pine Island’s injuries were deemed irreparable.

A second horse, favorite Fleet Indian, pulled up as the horses turned for home in the race, but her injuries were not life-threatening and she was scheduled to retire to become a broodmare at the end of the year. She suffered a ligament injury, but X-rays revealed no broken bones.

“Nobody wants to see a good horse get hurt or have a tragic loss like we did today,” Matz said. “It’s very heartbreaking to see that happen.”

Pine Island was trained by Shug McGaughey and owned by Phipps Racing Stable.

“It’s unbelievable. That filly was stabled next to me,” Matz said. “It happens to us all and it’s an unfortunate situation. I feel for Shug and the Phipps ...

“You have mixed emotions about [winning]. I just feel heartbroke for it.”

Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith, the on-call veterinarian, said Pine Island’s injuries to her left front ankle included multiple fractures and a dislocation, and the wound was open, making infection a likely complication.

“If you’ve got the combination of ... decreased blood supply, plus open -- which means you’ve contaminated it immediately -- it’s not sustainable or it’s not treatable,” McIlwraith said.

Round Pond went on to win the race by 4 1/4 lengths, and as Prado galloped out, he turned with a look of distress on his face to see what had happened behind him.

Asi Siempre crossed the line second but was disqualified to fourth after Corey Nakatani, riding Balletto, lodged a claim of foul against Asi Siempre and jockey Julien Leparoux for interference in the stretch. Happy Ticket was placed second and Balletto third.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, with a record 17 starters in the eight Breeders’ Cup races, went home empty-handed, but had three seconds and three thirds.

“This is not a game of secondary awards, and of course I’m not happy with not winning a race, but the idea is to get your horses ready and to have them run well, and for the most part, my horses did run well today,” Pletcher said.

“There were a few disappointments along the way, but overall, I’m happy with what occurred.”

Despite Lava Man’s seventh-place finish in the Classic, trainer Doug O’Neill had a good day, taking the $2-million Sprint with Thor’s Echo as well as winning a race on the undercard, the $200,000 Very Subtle, with Maryfield, ridden by Patrick Valenzuela.

Thor’s Echo is a Breeders’ Cup winner only because an allowance race he was pointed toward didn’t fill, and he entered the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap last month at Santa Anita at the last minute, finishing second to Bordonaro.

“If we don’t run in the Ancient Title, we’re not here,” co-owner Royce S. Jaime said.

Veterinarians were checking the English horse David Junior after he “went out like a light” during the Classic and did not finish, trainer Brian Meehan said.

Meehan said jockey Jamie Spencer told him the horse “seemed to go out on him” around the five-furlong mark.

“He said it wasn’t an issue with the ground or the kickback or any of those situations,” Meehan said. “We’ve got a vet going down to check him over and see that he’s OK, but at this point in time, it’s hard to say what has gone wrong.”

David Junior was scheduled to be retired to stud in Japan next year, Meehan said.

A Breeders’ Cup record of $136,726,378 was wagered on the 10-race card, according to preliminary totals from all common-pool sources. Eight of the 10 races were part of the $20-million Breeders’ Cup program.

There were two winning tickets in the Ultra Pick 6, each worth $1,450,707.

One was purchased at Hinsdale Greyhound in Massachusetts and the other through XpressBet in Oregon.