Gutting aftermath to San Felipe

In his first start since December, Mastery made it abundantly clear he was the horse to beat in the Kentucky Derby (G1) when rolling through the stretch to a convincing victory in Saturday’s San Felipe (G2). The dynamic performer looked poised to carry his superior ways forward to the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and head to Churchill Downs as the favorite.

It wasn’t meant to be.

The injury, a fracture to his left front ankle that will require surgery, left a sense of despair that runs deep. Whether or not you went to bed Saturday night and woke up Sunday morning thinking about Mastery, every Thoroughbred racing fan has reason to be down.

He appeared so special.

Unbeaten in three juvenile starts, including a 7 ¼-length romp in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1), Mastery entered 2017 as a top contender for four-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert but young stars must always show progress into their 3-year-old season or the competition catches up. And Mastery was returning against a couple of well-respected foes in Gormley and Iliad.

Mastery erased any doubt in resounding fashion.

The Candy Ride colt registered a career-best 102 BRIS Speed rating for the 6 ¾-length decision, scoring with seemingly plenty left in the tank, but any celebration was short-lived as Mike Smith pulled up his mount on the far turn and dismounted. We waited optimistically before learning of the bad news about 90 minutes after the race.

With the biggest names on the East Coast – Classic Empire and McCraken – trying to get healthy in early March, Mastery briefly illuminated the Kentucky Derby landscape. He took no prisoners with his brilliant speed and the first leg of the Triple Crown will miss his star power.