Grade 2 winner BEETHOVEN (Sky Mesa) has been sidelined by a minor injury to
his left front leg and his status for the Kentucky Derby (G1) is in doubt. The John Ward-trained colt was expected to contest
Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1).
“There was some heat in a tendon in a front leg (Wednesday) morning,” Ward
explained. “It seems minor, not extreme, but we decided it’s best to not make a
minor situation worse. It’s possible he could be back in the entries in the
not-too-distant future.”
Ward added that it was too early to tell the extent of the injury, but he
wasn’t optimistic about the colt’s chances of making it back for the Kentucky
Derby on May 2.
“As conservative as I am, probably not, but we don’t know at this time,” Ward
told
The
Blood-Horse.
Beethoven concluded his juvenile season on a promising note, winning the
Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs in late November, but finished
fourth when making his three-year-old bow in the January 31 Holy Bull S. (G3) at
Gulfstream Park. He cut back to a one-turn mile for the February 28 Fountain of
Youth S. (G2) and dropped far behind before offering a good late run for third.
Owned by John Oxley, Beethoven has earned $182,413 from a 7-3-0-2 record.