Trainer Greg Gilchrist had encouraging news Sunday morning about his filly,
INDYANNE (Indian Charlie), who suffered a fractured left front sesamoid during
the stretch run of Saturday’s La Brea S. (G1).
“It didn’t look very good right after the race,” Gilchrist said. “I was very
optimistic, but I don’t think Vince Baker, the vet, was. After we took X-rays,
she had shattered the inside sesamoid on her left front leg, and that’s not
good. If the outside one is shattered, their chances are slim. But X-rays showed
the outside sesamoid was perfect, and her suspensory ligaments did not seem to
be damaged that bad, so I think her chances (of survival) are pretty good.
“Certainly, her racing career is over, but she should make a nice broodmare,
and monetarily, she’s certainly worth something as a broodmare. She’s not out of
the woods, but as the hours go by, the reports get better. If she recovers, she
can be bred next year if she cycles on time, maybe as early as March. Right now
she’s in Barn 69, where Mike Puype is stabled.
“After conferring with his peers, Dr. Baker said it was probably better if
she did not have surgery,” Gilchrist continued. “She probably could be in
Kentucky within a week at (owner) John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in
Lexington.”
Gilchrist drew a parallel between Indyanne’s situation and that of jockey
Garrett Gomez, who escaped a potentially catastrophic injury when thrown from
his mount in Saturday’s Eddie Logan S., the race just before the La Brea.
“I prefer to look at the glass as half full,” Gilchrist summed up. “Maybe
Garrett was lucky and maybe Indyanne will be lucky. Things could have been a
helluva lot worse.”
Indyanne, who set the pace in the La Brea, was battling with eventual winner
Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie) at the top of the stretch when she broke down.
Prior to her injury, she had never finished worse than second in her career. Her
mark now stands at 8-5-2-0 with $449,870 in earnings. Indyanne won her first
four starts by a combined 32 1/2 lengths, including romps in the Bay Meadows
Debutante S. and Azalea S. (G3).
After a troubled start in the Victory Ride S. (G3) at Saratoga, she rushed up
to lead, only to be caught late by a head. The gray rebounded with a game score
in the Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) at Keeneland, and would have been a
prime contender in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, but she was scratched
after spiking a fever. Indyanne prepped for the La Brea with a solid
second-place effort versus older males in the Sausalito S. at Golden Gate
Fields.