A Little Warm injured, likely to be retired

Barbara D. Livingston

A Little Warm, John Velazquez up, wins the Jim Dandy.

A Little Warm, winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga in July, suffered condylar fractures to both front legs on Thursday and will most likely be retired from racing, his connections said Friday. A Little Warm was being pointed to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs.

According to Chris Baker, racing and farm manager for owner/breeder Edward P. Evans, A Little Warm suffered the fractures during a routine gallop on Thursday at Delaware Park where he was based with trainer Tony Dutrow. Baker said had the injury happened during a workout or a race, the situation could have been much worse.

A Little Warm underwent surgery on Friday at the New Bolton clinic in Pennsylvania, where veterinarians Michael Ross and David Levine inserted screws to stabilize the injuries. Baker said, however, that following the surgery Dr. Ross told him that the damage done to A Little Warm's right fetlock would make it unlikely that he could return to the stakes-winning form he displayed during his 3-year-old season.

"Based on that, if we had to make the decision today, it'd be unlikely he'd return to racing," Baker said. "We'd be looking to retire the horse and would be seeking outside interests to stand him at stud."

"It's unfortunate timing," Baker added. "We thought the horse was hitting his best stride."

A Little Warm, a son of Stormin Fever out of the Alydar mare Minidar, won 4 of 11 starts and earned $752,280 with his biggest victory coming in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga. In two subsequent starts, he finished fifth in the Travers and third in the Pennsylvania Derby.

During the winter, A Little Warm won the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park before finishing second in the Hutcheson at Gulfstream and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.