Terrain injured, euthanized

Terrain suffered a fractured sesamoid and condylar fracture in his right front leg during the running of the Iowa Derby late Friday night at Prairie Meadows, and had to be euthanized because of the severe injuries, trainer Al Stall said Saturday morning.

Terrain, the race favorite under Robby Albarado, broke last in the Iowa Derby, but moved up nicely around the clubhouse turn. He was in the bridle and traveling fine at the head of the backstretch, but suddenly lost position and fell back to last between the five-furlong and half-mile poles, and was subsequently pulled up by Albarado before the three-eighths pole.

"He warmed up well, started off nice," Stall said. "Robby said he was like butter, but down the backside something went wrong."

Terrain was taken off the track in a horse ambulance. Back at the barn, it was obvious there would be no chance to save him, a deflated Stall said.

"I have horses in over $500,000 worth of races today," said Stall. "You're supposed to be excited. I just don't feel that great about anything."

Terrain, a gelding by Sky Mesa, was bred and owned by Adele Dilschneider. After failing to impress his connections during morning work before his career debut, Terrain started out in a $50,000 maiden claimer last July. He won that, won the Mountaineer Juvenile, was moved up from third to first in the Arlington-Washington Futurity, and proved at least mildly competitive with the best horses of his generation this year, earning more than $500,000 in a nine-start career.

"He went from the bottom of the totem pole to the top just on effort," said Stall.

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