Intense Holiday retired following surgery

Intense Holiday earned his lone stakes win in photo-finish fashion (Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography) Risen Star winner Intense Holiday has been retired from racing. He underwent surgery on Monday for a condylar fracture to his right front leg sustained in a workout over the weekend and, according to Dr. Patti Hogan, who performed the surgery, the fracture was mended but it was advised that he be retired from racing. “This injury was more frustrating than most because, after a disappointing finish in the Kentucky Derby, Intense Holiday underwent a thorough veterinary exam, including nuclear scintigraphy and digital x-rays,” said Dr. Foster Northrop, the primary veterinarian for owner Starlight Racing. “All of his results came back clean and he was shipped to Belmont Park where, by all accounts, he had been training very well.” Trainer Todd Pletcher expressed equal frustration.

“Intense Holiday seemed to come out of the Kentucky Derby as well as he had
any of his prior races and he was training remarkably well at Belmont Park when
the injury occurred,” Pletcher said. “It’s an unfortunate thing. These types of
blows are never easy to take but this one was particularly confounding.”

Starlight Racing co-managing partner, Jack Wolf, was at Belmont Park watching
him train the morning that the injury occurred.

“You never get used to this stuff,” Wolf said. “It’s disappointing, but the
horse did not seem to be in much distress right after the injury and we’re happy
that they were able to repair the injury to the extent that they could. He’s a
good horse — a talented horse — who has provided us with some thrilling
finishes. But whether they’re worth $5,000 or $5 million, this is always a
bitter pill to swallow.”

In addition to winning the $400,000 Risen Star, a Grade 2 event at Fair
Grounds on February 22, Intense Holiday finished second in the Louisiana Derby
and third in the Holy Bull before his 12th place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
He retires with a mark of 9-2-1-1, $551,900.

Plans for Intense Holiday’s future are not yet finalized. Starlight Racing is
currently in negotiations with several stallion farms regarding his career as a
stallion and an announcement will be made when an agreement is reached.

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