Bind injured, out of Matt Winn

An injury suffered during a Monday workout has taken highly-regarded BIND

(Pulpit) out of consideration for Saturday's Matt Winn S. (G3) at Churchill

Downs and has probably knocked him out of racing for the year.

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Bind suffered a condylar fracture in his right

front leg during a four-furlong work over Keeneland's synthetic Polytrack

surface that was to have been his final major work prior to his stakes debut in

the Matt Winn. Bind covered the distance in :49 3/5 under exercise rider Jerry

O'Dwyer.

"He worked like a champ," Stall said. "He worked like his normal self. He

looked like a gazelle running down the lane, but he didn't cool out properly and

there it was."

Stall said the injury would require surgery and Bind was transported later in

the morning to the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for the procedure. He said the

prognosis for Bind's fracture is "very good" at this point.

"It's non-displaced, clean, there's no trash," Stall said. "It's a kick in

the teeth right off the bat on a Monday morning, but that's just how it goes."

Stall said that the best case scenario for Bind would probably see him return

to competition late this year or early 2012 when his stable returns to New

Orleans' Fair Grounds. Even if the surgery is as successful as he anticipates,

Stall said the colt would probably be out of training for 120 days.

Meanwhile, another major contender for the Matt Winn -- DOMINUS (Smart

Strike) -- is dealing with a foot issue, but remains "possible" for the 1

1/16-mile race for three-year-olds.

Dominus was nipped at the finish by Machen (Distorted Humor) in a runner-up

finish in the Derby Trial S. (G3) on April 30 and trainer Steve Asmussen said he

hopes the issue will clear up in time for the colt to be entered for the Matt

Winn on Wednesday.

Others under consideration for the Matt Winn, formerly known as the Northern

Dancer, include ALSTOM (Silver Train), INFRATTINI (Include), JOE VANN (Silver

Deputy) and UNCLE BRENT (Pioneering).