Tepin to miss Endeavour Stakes due to minor bout of colic

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tepin’s eagerly awaited 6-year-old debut has been delayed after the two-time champion turf mare had a brief bout of colic following her training Sunday at the Palm Meadows training center.

Trainer Mark Casse said Monday he was disappointed that Tepin will not be shipped to run Saturday in the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, which had been planned as the mare’s first start since her runner-up finish in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Casse emphasized that the incident was minor, albeit poorly timed, adding that the mare “definitely will run this year” after discussing her future with owner Robert Masterson on Sunday night.

“We had to treat her for the colic, which means she can’t run Saturday,” said Casse. “She’s fine now, and she’ll go back to the track in the next few days, I imagine. She did this about the same time last year, if I recall.”

The Endeavour had been intended as a tightener for the $6 million Dubai Turf.

“This hurts the chances of us going over there, but we’re not even going to worry about it,” said Casse. “Everything had to go kind of perfect for us to make Dubai, and it hasn’t. Her work schedule got messed up with the weather and her kicking the back of her stall a couple weeks ago, and now this. Regardless, there are plenty of other races for her this year.”

Masterson had considered retiring Tepin, but she is being intended for one more full campaign, said Casse.

“If we don’t go to Dubai, there’s Keeneland and then maybe even back to Ascot,” where Tepin won to great fanfare last June. “We’ll come up with some sort of plan,” Casse said.