Injury will keep Gunmetal Gray out for rest of year

ARCADIA, Calif. – Gunmetal Gray, who won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in January, will be sidelined until 2020 after undergoing surgery on Sunday for a non-displaced condylar fracture diagnosed after a workout at Santa Anita that morning.

Terry Finley, the president and chief executive of West Point Thoroughbreds, which co-owns the colt, wrote in a text message on Monday that the surgery “went well” and that Gunmetal Gray will be out of action “for at least nine months.”

Veterinarian Wayne McIlwraith conducted the operation, Finley said.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorer, Gunmetal Gray worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday, his first major exercise since a fourth-place finish in the second division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16. The injury was detected when Gunmetal Gray returned to the stable, Finley said on Sunday.

Also owned by Pearl Racing and Hollendorfer, Gunmetal Gray has won 2 of 7 starts and earned $284,700. At 2, Gunmetal Gray was second in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, losing both races to eventual 2-year-old champion male Game Winner.

Gunmetal Gray has had three starts this year. After the Sham Stakes, Gunmetal Gray finished second to Mucho Gusto in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 2.

The Lewis is part of a series of prep races for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 6. The $1 million Santa Anita Derby had five probable starters as of Monday – Extra Hope, Game Winner, Nolo Contesto, Roadster, and Synthesis.

Hollendorfer has not stated where the 3-year-old stakes winners Galilean and Instagrand will have their next start. The Santa Anita Derby is a possibility.

Gunmetal Gray was the second California-based stakes winner owned by West Point to be sidelined this month.

Giza Goddess, a 3-year-old filly West Point co-owns, underwent knee surgery on Saturday, trainer John Shirreffs said.

Giza Goddess will be rested for 60 days and could return for the Del Mar summer meeting, Shirreffs said. Giza Goddess won the Blue Norther Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on turf on Dec. 30.