Harness: Perfect Sting granted exemption from "Gural Rule"

Perfect Sting has been retired to stand stud at Deo Volente Farms of New Jersey. His ownership of Brittany Farms and Val D'Or Farm, represented by trainer Joe Holloway, have applied for a waiver from the Stallion Restriction Condition (SRC), better known as the "Gural Rule" which would have prohibited his first crop of foals from being eligible for nomination to any Meadowlands stakes.

The SRC does permit that a waiver may be granted to a stallion who retires after the 3-year-old season if a physical condition would compromise their performance and/or health should they continue to be raced.

Mr. Holloway submitted documentation from a veterinarian accredited in equine cardiology indicating that Perfect Sting was afflicted with a heart condition that could affect his performance and health if the horse should continue to be raced.

In response, Jeff Gural requested that the horse be examined by a veterinarian at New Bolton Center to confirm that diagnosis.

The findings from the examination at New Bolton did confirm the earlier diagnosis. Mr. Gural then asked the veterinarians who examined the horse for an opinion on the potential of harm should he continue to train and race.

The response from the attending veterinarian was as follows:

"This horse very likely had these cardiac changes and risk factors 3 weeks ago based on the changes we see on the ultrasound. Therefore there was some increased risk when they raced him in the Breeders Crown. That risk will likely increase next year as this disease is progressive, although it is typically very slowly progressive and the increase in risk is likely small and very hard to quantify."

With this information and the unacceptable risk to the horse should he be raced in the future, a waiver has been granted from the SRC for Perfect Sting.

-edited release (Meadowlands Media)