Injured Sarava out for year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sarava, the Belmont Stakes winner whose next primary goal was the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes, suffered a fractured foreleg in a Tuesday workout at Churchill Downs and most likely will miss the rest of the year.

Trainer Ken McPeek said Sarava, whose 70-1 upset in the June 8 Belmont was the biggest in the 134-year history of the race, was "uncomfortable" soon after the five-furlong work, which was run in 1:01 over a fast track.

"We had Dr. [Foster] Northrup take X-rays, and it's actually kind of a complicated break," said McPeek. "But he's of the belief that, with time, the colt will come back 100 percent."

McPeek said no surgery will be required and that Northrup's initial recommendation is for Sarava to have 90 days off before being reevaluated.

Sarava, a Wild Again colt owned by New Phoenix Stable and Mrs. Susan Roy, was being pointed to the Haskell or Jim Dandy, both of which will be run Aug. 4 as preps for the Travers.

"He'd been training great," said McPeek. "He worked real nice, and then he galloped out as strong as he ever has. Tough game."

Indeed, the Tuesday work, for which jockey Jose Martinez Jr. was aboard, was the fourth for Sarava since his Belmont victory, demonstrating that the colt had not skipped a beat in five-plus weeks since his historic triumph. McPeek had been eager for the colt to prove that the Belmont was no fluke.

"We were really looking forward to these races next month," he said. "He'd just been doing so well."

Sarava's win in the Belmont came at the expense of War Emblem, who was attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner in 24 years. But as War Emblem faded in the stretch, Sarava, ridden by Edgar Prado, surged to a half-length victory over Medaglia d'Oro, with War Emblem finishing eighth.

The Sarava injury is another setback in what has been a roller-coaster year for McPeek, who has won such major races as the Belmont, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, and Ashland Stakes - but has lost three other star 3-year-olds to injury or defection. Repent and Take Charge Lady have both recently been returned to training after having been sidelined for various physical reasons, while Harlan's Holiday was moved last month from McPeek's barn by owner Jack Wolf.

"It's never easy," said McPeek.