Archarcharch retired after Kentucky Derby injury

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Due to the severity of the injury suffered by Archarcharch in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs, the colt has been retired, trainer Jinks Fires said Monday.

Archarcharch underwent successful surgery Sunday at the Rood and Riddle equine clinic in Lexington, Ky., to repair a condylar fracture in his left foreleg, but “there’s some pretty bad cartilage damage in there, too,” said Fires. “It just wouldn’t be worth even trying to bring him back. He’s been great to us, so we’re going to take care of him.” Dr. Larry Bramlage performed the surgery.

Fires suspected Archarcharch, who finished 15th under Jon Court, may have been injured shortly after the start of the 1 1/4-mile race. “He got banged coming out of the gate and kind of knuckled over there at the crown of the track,” said Fires. “I told my wife that I didn’t like the way he was moving when passed us the first time.”

Archarcharch, an Arch colt owned by Robert and Val Yagos, retires with 3 wins from 7 starts and earnings of $832,744. Easily his biggest victory came as a 25-1 shot in the April 16 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

“We said all the way going into the Derby that no matter what happened we would always have that win in the Arkansas Derby,” said Yagos, who lives in Jacksonville, Ark. “We were just so happy to win that race for the people of Arkansas and for all the great support they showed us after that. We really felt like the whole state was behind us and carrying us along.”

Fires said Archarcharch would stay at Rood and Riddle for several days before returning to his Churchill barn for a brief stay, after which more definitive plans would be made, including 2012 stud duty.

* Battle of Hastings, a 5-year-old gelding who also suffered a condylar fracture Saturday and was operated on Sunday by Dr. Bramlage, also has been retired, said Jude Feld, racing manager for owner Michael House.

“Dr. Bramlage put a plate and some screws into the right foreleg to stabilize the joint, and he said it all went very well,” said Feld. “But his racing days are over.”

Trained for much of his career by Jeff Mullins before being taken over by Greg Fox last fall, Battle of Hastings won 7 of 26 starts for earnings of $1,367,116. He suffered his career-ending injury Saturday when racing into the clubhouse turn during the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic.