Social Inclusion prepares for comeback
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Social Inclusion, one of the stars of the 2013-14 championship meet at Gulfstream Park, is back in training at Palm Meadows after losing most of the second half of his 3-year-old campaign due to a tendon injury.
Social Inclusion became an instant sensation here last winter by winning his maiden at first asking by 7 1/2 lengths, and setting a track record for 1 1/16 miles while easily defeating the highly regarded Kentucky Derby prospect Honor Code just three weeks later. Social Inclusion finished third in the Wood Memorial but was excluded from the Derby field due to lack of points. Instead, he went to Baltimore, where he finished third in the Preakness. But after disappointing efforts in both the Woody Stephens and Haskell, he was sidelined with a tendon issue.
Social Inclusion, who made all six of his starts for Manny Azpurua, is now being trained by Chad Brown at Palm Meadows.
“I got him in here a couple of weeks ago and he’s jogging now,” said Brown. “He’s got a ways to go but so far he looks good. We’ll take it one step at a time, but at the moment I’m cautiously optimistic we can get him back to the races again.”
Brown has also been taking it easy up with Breeders’ Cup winners Lady Eli and Bobby’s Kitten, both of whom just returned to training at Palm Meadows following respective victories in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Turf Sprint. Brown’s third Breeders’ Cup winner, Dayatthespa, was purchased by Stonestreet Stable just days after her triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
“Stephanie’s Kitten is also at Palm Meadows as well, although I don’t have any immediate plans for any of them at the moment,” said Brown. “Leave the Light On also got a breather since getting to Florida, and only recently started back to the track. I think I’m going to wait for the Fountain of Youth with him.”
Leave the Light On concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Remsen. The Grade 1 Fountain of Youth will be contested here on Feb. 21.