Square Eddie - training up to the Kentucky Derby???
DiscreetCat
Moderator
You've got to be kidding me...
from DRF:
ARCADIA, Calif. - The dream of starting Square Eddie in the Kentucky Derby on May 2 remains for owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O'Neill.
Despite not starting since January because of a cannon bone injury, Square Eddie, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last fall, has resumed training and could be trained up to the Kentucky Derby, Reddam and O'Neill said Wednesday.
Reddam said that weekly X-rays in the last month have shown enough improvement to allow Square Eddie to resume full exercise.
"We've had the horse X-rayed every week on Fridays to see his progress," he said. "As part of his therapy, the vets had him tack-walking and on the aqua-tred. Cardio-wise, he's in pretty good shape. It's a question of how much can you press on him without risking the fracture coming back."
A winner of 2 of 7 starts and $787,366, Square Eddie worked three furlongs in 37.40 seconds at Hollywood Park on Sunday, his first workout since early February. In his last start, Square Eddie finished second to The Pamplemousse in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 17. In early February, he was diagnosed with a hairline fracture of a cannon bone, Reddam said.
Square Eddie was a candidate for the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February when sidelined.
O'Neill said Square Eddie probably won't be ready for an April Triple Crown prep race, such as the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 18.
"The Lexington is a problem," he said. "We might not have enough time. The first Saturday in May is still in our minds. If he's up to it, we think he's that good."
Reddam defended the effort to make the Kentucky Derby with Square Eddie, saying that it may still be abandoned if the colt does not progress well.
"If he doesn't continue to make progress or took a step back, you'd have to forget all that," he said. "If you were to draw this up on the drawing board, this is not how you do it. It should be remembered that he ran six times as a 2-year-olds. That's a solid foundation.
"I'm generally an optimist. As it stands now, his chances are pretty good. Everything has to go perfectly. Up to this point, it has."
Square Eddie began his career in England and was sent to the United States last fall. He won the Breeders' Futurity in his U.S. debut and followed with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in October. The San Rafael Stakes is his only start this year.
from DRF:
ARCADIA, Calif. - The dream of starting Square Eddie in the Kentucky Derby on May 2 remains for owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O'Neill.
Despite not starting since January because of a cannon bone injury, Square Eddie, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last fall, has resumed training and could be trained up to the Kentucky Derby, Reddam and O'Neill said Wednesday.
Reddam said that weekly X-rays in the last month have shown enough improvement to allow Square Eddie to resume full exercise.
"We've had the horse X-rayed every week on Fridays to see his progress," he said. "As part of his therapy, the vets had him tack-walking and on the aqua-tred. Cardio-wise, he's in pretty good shape. It's a question of how much can you press on him without risking the fracture coming back."
A winner of 2 of 7 starts and $787,366, Square Eddie worked three furlongs in 37.40 seconds at Hollywood Park on Sunday, his first workout since early February. In his last start, Square Eddie finished second to The Pamplemousse in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 17. In early February, he was diagnosed with a hairline fracture of a cannon bone, Reddam said.
Square Eddie was a candidate for the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February when sidelined.
O'Neill said Square Eddie probably won't be ready for an April Triple Crown prep race, such as the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 18.
"The Lexington is a problem," he said. "We might not have enough time. The first Saturday in May is still in our minds. If he's up to it, we think he's that good."
Reddam defended the effort to make the Kentucky Derby with Square Eddie, saying that it may still be abandoned if the colt does not progress well.
"If he doesn't continue to make progress or took a step back, you'd have to forget all that," he said. "If you were to draw this up on the drawing board, this is not how you do it. It should be remembered that he ran six times as a 2-year-olds. That's a solid foundation.
"I'm generally an optimist. As it stands now, his chances are pretty good. Everything has to go perfectly. Up to this point, it has."
Square Eddie began his career in England and was sent to the United States last fall. He won the Breeders' Futurity in his U.S. debut and followed with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in October. The San Rafael Stakes is his only start this year.