Brinkerhoff injured in pre-race tussle with horse

When Bob’s Sniper won a $16,000 claimer in the ninth race at Santa Anita last Saturday, his trainer, Val Brinkerhoff, was absent. He was at nearby Arcadia Methodist undergoing X-rays after a bizarre and frightening incident earlier that afternoon in which the multiple stakes winner Restrainedvengence reacted angrily to having blood drawn before a scheduled start in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes.

The incident left Brinkerhoff with minor injuries.

:: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Santa Anita Clocker Report

Horses entered to race have blood drawn before racing for routine tests, and the procedure left Restrainedvengence so upset that he threw a tantrum in his stall and would not allow a bridle to be put on his head. Restrainedvengence has a fear of needles, Brinkerhoff said.

“He blew his lid,” Brinkerhoff said.

The 64-year-old trainer said he spent five hours at the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a bone crack in an elbow and a separated shoulder, among other injuries. Brinkerhoff said the primary reason he was hospitalized is because he takes blood-thinning medication and doctors wanted to ensure he had not suffered any internal bleeding.

“I was more worried about my horse,” Brinkerhoff said. “He just don’t like that needle. When he blows up, you might as well forget it.”

Tuesday, Brinkerhoff said he was informed by hospital staff that a further review of X-rays indicated a cracked bone in a finger. By then, Brinkerhoff was already back to riding his pony at Santa Anita.

“I’ve been worse,” he said.

:: Get Brad Free’s Betting Strategies for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita

Restrainedvengence was withdrawn from the Thunder Road Stakes because of the fiasco. Monday, Restrainedvengence worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, but race goals are undetermined. The Thunder Road Stakes was intended as a prep for the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 6. It is doubtful he’ll run in the Kilroe, Brinkerhoff said.

Brinkerhoff said he might run Restrainedvengence in the $75,000 Santana Mile on dirt on March 28 as a prep for the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf April 24 at Golden Gate Fields.

Restrainedvengence, owned by Bob Grayson Jr. and Brinkerhoff’s wife, Kelly, has won 8 of 26 starts and earned $625,722. Restrainedvengence has won five stakes, including stakes at Sunland Park, Golden Gate Fields and The Downs at Albuquerque in 2020.

By early Saturday evening, Brinkherhoff was back at home. It was then that he learned of Bob’s Sniper’s win.