Suarez out indefinitely after breaking leg in spill

The jockey Angel Suarez executed to perfection the plan to get Pixelate to the winner’s circle in the Woodchopper Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds. One race later, Suarez’s plans for the winter went badly amiss.

A horse named Caramel Latte broke down on the far turn in the 10th race. Suarez was riding Kehron’s Creed, who crashed into her fallen rival, sending Suarez sprawling. Suarez, riding his first Fair Grounds meet, broke his femur. He underwent successful surgery over the weekend to repair the serious injury, but is out of action indefinitely and surely won’t come back in time to ride again this Fair Grounds season.

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“I swear I spent five days in my tack room with Angel watching [Pixelate’s] races,” said Stidham, who was regularly using Suarez on his Fair Grounds runners. “This horse does not win by open lengths – he’ll win by a head, a neck, a nose. I told him it was up to him to time it right and get a clean run from the five-sixteenths pole. He did it perfect and the next race shatters his femur.”

Pixelate came through his weekend’s activity in far better shape than his rider. He earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his half-length win in this grass race restricted to 3-year-olds, and despite having raced nine times during 2020, Pixelate doesn’t seem to be looking for a rest, Stidham said. Stidham said that Pixelate, a Godolphin homebred, had been invited to the Pegasus World Cup Turf, terming a start in that Gulfstream race “a possibility.” If not the Pegasus, Pixelate will be readied for the Fair Grounds Handicap on Feb. 13.

Stidham plans to start the promising 2-year-old Manor House on the Road to the Derby Kickoff card Jan. 16, but not in the Lecomte Stakes. Manor House, an Upstart colt, debuted in a one-turn-mile maiden race Dec. 15 at Laurel and won by more than 12 lengths, earning a 76 Beyer. Stidham said Manor House would pass on the Lecomte in favor of a two-turn first-level dirt allowance race.