Gunnevera back with Sano following foot injury

MIAMI – Under normal circumstances, Gunnevera would be preparing for a trip to California and another shot at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But this has not been a normal season for the 2018 Classic runner-up, who has not started since his third-place finish to Thunder Snow on March 30 in the Dubai World Cup.

Gunnevera, 5, suffered several setbacks after returning home from Dubai, the last a fracture in his left hind foot while training up to the Grade 1 Woodward in August. Gunnevera returned to trainer Antonio Sano’s main headquarters at Gulfstream Park West over the weekend and went back to the track for the first time on Monday.

“He’s had foot issues in the past, but this is a different foot, a hind foot,” Sano said on Monday. “We’re still not sure when or how it happened, but he’s fine now. He jogged for the first time this morning and will jog for two weeks, after which he’ll start galloping again. Our goal is to hopefully have him up to a race in late December.”

Gunnevera encountered trouble at the start and rallied from far back to finish just a length behind Accelerate in the 2018 Classic at Churchill Downs. He finished fifth behind Gun Runner in the 2017 Classic at Del Mar.

Runner-up in the Grade 1 Travers at 3 and again in the Grade 1 Woodward a year ago at Saratoga, Gunnevera has earned more than $5.5 million, all for Sano and owner Salomon Del Valle, during a career that has spanned 21 starts. His most notable victory came in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park during the winter of 2017.