Spurious Precision, Saratoga Special winner, euthanized after fracturing knee

Spurious Precision, among the leaders of the 2-year-old division, had to be euthanized Tuesday morning after fracturing a knee during a workout Monday at Aqueduct, trainer Rick Violette said in a press release.

Spurious Precision had just completed a mile workout in 1:43.66 at Aqueduct, but was pulled up by exercise rider Rodney Payne soon after completing the move.

“He went a mile and looked super,” Violette said. “But Rodney felt his stride change as they finished the work, and he pulled him up right away.”

The horse was vanned back to Violette’s barn and then shipped to the Hogan Equine Clinic, where it was initially believed that the injury could be repaired surgically. But, according to Dr. Patty Hogan, Spurious Precision “shattered two major weight-bearing bones of his knee, as well as incurring other smaller fractures of the lesser-supporting bones, thus rendering the knee unstable and unable to support his frame.”

Spurious Precision, owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, won his debut by 3 1/2 lengths at Belmont on July 21. He followed that win with a five-length victory in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 12. His work Monday was in preparation for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 6.

Spurious Precision, a son of High Cotton, was a $105,000 purchase from the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-old in-training sale in April.