Foot abscess delays Paradise Woods's return to training

ARCADIA, Calif. – Paradise Woods, one of the nation’s leading 3-year-old fillies of 2017, was recently diagnosed with an abscess in a foot that has delayed a return to full training for the two-time Grade 1 stakes winner.

In January, Paradise Woods was briefly sidelined by an illness detected in the weeks after she finished second to Unique Bella in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Paradise Woods is not expected to miss significant training time because of the recent setback.

“She started back galloping, and we didn’t get in but one day before this,” he said. “She will need a little more time.”

Owned by Steve Sarkowsky and Marty and Pam Wygod, Paradise Woods has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $713,545. By Union Rags, Paradise Woods won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita last year before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

The recent illness will prevent Paradise Woods from starting in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 10. It was not clear last weekend whether the abscess will prevent Paradise Woods from a start in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational on March 17, the leading race of the winter-spring meeting for older fillies and mares.

Silent Bird surgery successful

Multiple stakes winner Silent Bird underwent successful surgery Saturday to stabilize a sesamoid injury sustained in a workout Jan. 24 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Mark Glatt said Silent Bird will remain at his stable at Santa Anita while recovering.

“It will be a two- or three-month process before we feel he’s out of the woods,” Glatt said. “He’s taking good care of himself. The surgery went terrific.”

Owned by Robbie Norman, Silent Bird has won 6 of 9 starts and earned $316,800. Silent Bird won the Grade 3 Midnight Lute Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 30.

Silent Bird is considered a stud prospect in 2019, Glatt said.