Pine Island euthanized

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Pine Island was euthanized after severely fracturing her left front leg in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Pine Island had a dislocation of her left front fetlock, or ankle joint. The injury broke the skin, there was loss of blood, and the combination forced her to be euthanized as soon as she was removed from the track in a horse ambulance, according to Dr. Wayne McIlwraith of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Pine Island was injured soon after turning into the backstretch. Her jockey, Javier Castellano, fell heavily to the dirt and was taken from the track an in ambulance, but he walked back to the jockeys' room and said he was well enough to ride Bernardini in the upcoming Breeders' Cup Classic.

Fleet Indian, the favorite, who was pulled up in the race, suffered suspensory ligament injuries to her left front leg, McIlwraith said.

Pine Island, a 3-year-old filly owned by Phipps Stable and trained by Shug McGaughey, was the 5-2 second favorite in the Distaff. Earlier this year she had won the Grade 1 Alabama and Grade 1 Gazelle.