Crown of Thorns knocked off Derby trail

Crown of Thorns is now sidelined and off the Triple Crown Trail (Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com)

Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) winner CROWN OF THORNS (Repent), a leading contender
for the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), has suffered an injury to his left front leg
and will miss all three Triple Crown races, trainer Richard Mandella told The
Blood-Horse.

“The shin is sore and it shows the beginning of a little stress fracture, so
we had to stop on him,” Mandella said. “This is extremely disappointing because
he was the perfect Derby horse.”

Mandella said the injury would sideline Crown of Thorns for several months.
The colt was pointing toward the Sham S. (G3) on March 1 at Santa Anita.

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Crown of Thorns drew off to a 2 1/2-length victory
in the 1 1/16-mile Robert B. Lewis on February 2 after breaking his maiden by a
resounding seven lengths on Santa Anita’s Cushion Track on New Year’s Day.

Crown of Thorns has a record of 3-2-0-0, $149,640. He is out of Crowning
Touch (Thunder Gulch), a half-sister to champion sprinter Smoke Glacken (Two
Punch), Grade 2 vixen Smokey Glacken (Forestry) and the Grade
3-placed stakes winner Capote’s Crown (Capote).

The Florida-bred sold for $300,000 at the 2007 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in
Training sale.