A Huevo euthanized after injury

A Huevo, the 9-year-old gelding who overcame injury to become a Grade 1 winner in the hands of trainer Michael Dickinson, was euthanized Saturday night after sustaining an injury in the running of the West Virginia Breeders Classic at Charles Town.

The bay gelding was vanned off the track after taking a bad step and was taken to a nearby veterinary clinic.

A West Virginia-bred son of Cool Joe and Verabald, by Baldski, won half his 12 lifetime starts despite having knee and hock problems and requiring three years off.

In November of 2003, A Huevo came back to win the De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel. The following year, he captured the West Virginia Breeders' Classic by more than 19 lengths, vindicating an earlier run in the race's 1999 edition when A Huevo won but was disqualified for a medication violation. In that earlier running, A Huevo set a track record, covering nine furlongs in 1:50.10.

Dickinson could not be reached for comment.

Owner Mark Hopkins credited Dickinson and his team for the horse's success and longevity and said, "I realized early on that this was the horse of a lifetime, and I'll never have another one like this. It was a love affair I had with this horse."