Laddie Liam to miss some time with foot injury

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Gary Contessa had been wavering whether to enter Laddie Liam in Wednesday’s $150,000 Jerome Stakes against the impressive Nashua Stakes winner Independence Hall. Following Laddie Liam’s sharp half-mile workout Saturday morning in 48.34 seconds, Contessa was planning to enter.

But Laddie Liam came out of the work with a foot injury that kept him out of the entry box and will sideline him for a short period. Contessa said Laddie Liam “shed a frog,” on his left front foot. The frog acts like a shock absorber when a horse’s foot hits the ground.

“It was a blow, but I’ll get over it,” Contessa said. “He’ll be okay. There are plenty of little races all over the place, so I’m optimistic. We’ll regroup and figure it out. Everything had to be perfect in order for him to run in this race, and it was imperfect.”

Laddie Liam won the Maryland Juvenile Futurity on Dec. 7 and three days later was purchased by Leonard Green for $450,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic December mixed sale. Laddie Liam, a Maryland-bred son of Golden Lad, has won 3 of 5 starts.