Churchill Downs: 2010 Breeders' Cup winner Pluck recovering from colic surgery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pluck, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, underwent successful surgery Thursday at a Lexington equine clinic to repair the colt’s twisted colon, which was diagnosed a few hours before he was to run in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Churchill Downs.

According to a press release sent out by Team Valor International, which owns Pluck in partnership with The Vinery, surgeons at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute In Lexington, Ky., found the colt was suffering from a torsion, or full twist, of the large colon.

“They were able to get it untwisted, and he came out of the surgery and anesthesia well and is resting now,” said Barry Irwin, president of Team Valor. “He had a very painful experience, and he’s going to be feeling bad for another three or four days, but thankfully it looks like he’s going to be okay.”

Irwin said that Pluck would eventually be shipped to Goldmark Farm in Ocala, Fla., and a decision on whether he will return to racing or be retired will be made at a later date.

As a 2-year-old, when trained by Todd Pletcher, Pluck won 3 of 5 starts, including the Grade 3 Summer Stakes at Woodbine and the Juvenile Turf at Churchill.

He was transferred to Graham Motion when Team Valor hired him as their private trainer. He went winless in two starts. Following a seventh-place finish in the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in April, Pluck was diagnosed with bruising of his hind cannon bones and given time off. He had been in training since the end of June and was scheduled to make his return in Thursday’s Commonwealth.

Pluck, a son of More Than Ready, has 3 wins from 7 lifetime starts and career earnings of $727,290.