Gulfstream Park: Purple Egg recovering from illness

Tom Cooley Photography

Purple Egg missed the Gulfstream Park Derby with a fever.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Purple Egg, who won all three of his starts at 2, lost out on the opportunity to open his 3-year-old campaign here Tuesday in the Gulfstream Park Derby after spiking a fever over the weekend.

“He had a temperature of 101.6 on Sunday morning, which eventually went up to 102.5,” said trainer Jane Cibelli, who has Purple Egg stabled at Tampa Bay Downs. “We did a little blood work and it was slightly off kilter. He was obviously fighting some kind of virus or something, and although he was okay on Tuesday, naturally we are going to err on the side of caution.”
Cibelli said she’s uncertain when Purple Egg might return.

“We’ll get him back to the track, see how he trains and how healthy he is before making any decisions,” said Cibelli. “Obviously the Pasco at Tampa in a couple of weeks is a thought. If he’s not well enough, then we might think about the Holy Bull.”
Cibelli said her major objectives for Purple Egg this winter are Tampa’s Grade 3 Sam F. Davis and Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.