Planetario, Del Mar Handicap contender, retires with suspensory injury

DEL MAR, Calif. - The six-time stakes winner Planetario has been retired, less than a week before an intended start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Saturday.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Planetario was recently diagnosed with a suspensory injury. The injury was detected after a seven-furlong workout at Del Mar on Aug. 19.

“He’s got a slight tear in a suspensory ligament,” Mandella said on Sunday. “It’s a dangerous place to have that.”

Planetario was rated as one of the leading contenders for the Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles, the track’s leading summertime race for distance runners on turf.

Owned by Red Rafa Stud, Inc., the Brazilian-bred Planetario won 8 of 19 starts and earned $390,548 in a four-year career, racing only on turf.

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In Brazil, Planetario won 4 of 8 starts in 2021, including consecutive Group 1 races at 1 1/4 miles and 1 1/2 miles in October and November of that year.

Planetario started once for Mandella in 2022, finishing fifth in an allowance race, and had a more comprehensive campaign in 2023, winning 2 of 6 starts, including wins in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar.

There were discussions last winter about sending Planetario to lucrative stakes in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, but the veteran remained in California, where he won once in four starts this year.

After finishing second twice and third once in three consecutive turf marathons on turf at Santa Anita from early February to early May, Planetario won his final career start in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes on June 16.

Planetario is by the Cape Town stallion Il Doge.

“He’s kind of a pet in the barn,” Mandella said.

Mandella said that it was unclear where Planetario, a 6-year-old horse, would go in retirement.

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