Quality Road’s Derby Status in Question with Second Quarter Crack!!!

Well, the front runner as my choice to win the 135th Kentucky Derby just made the news again.

From New York Racing Association Press Office

Quality Road, one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby, has developed another quarter-crack, putting his status for the May 2nd “Run for the Roses” in question.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Friday morning at Belmont Park he first noticed the crack, this one on the inside of his right-front hoof, on Thursday after the Elusive Quality colt returned from a routine morning gallop.

“He wasn’t sore or anything,” said Jerkens. “We brought him in to pull his shoes afterward and that’s when we noticed it.”

Jerkens said he was optimistic that Quality Road, who appears fully recovered from a slight quarter-crack in his right-hind hoof, could still make the 1¼-mile Derby. Noted hoof specialist Ian McKinley, who successfully patched the first injury, is scheduled to treat the crack Friday afternoon.

A quarter crack is a crack that appears in the wall of the hoof, often starting at the coronet band, where the hoof meets the hair, and growing down. It can also start in the wall and move upward.

“If Ian can lace it this afternoon, and the horse can gallop tomorrow, he could put a patch on right away and he can breeze on Sunday,” said Jerkens. “If he wants to wait another day, he can gallop Sunday, and then breeze Monday.”

Quality Road, owned by Edward P. Evans, is scheduled to depart Belmont Park for Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The record-setting winner of the Florida Derby owns a 3-1-0 record and earnings of $632,830.

Wonderful. This is definitely something I will be keeping an eye or two on, and you should as well. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS HORSE’S FEET?!?!?

However, if you recall Big Brown had tender feet, and guess who treated them babies??  Yep, you got it:

“It was a straight crack, with no infection,” said McKinlay, who treated the tender feet of the Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown during last year’s Triple Crown. “I really don’t think it is as serious as the other one. We were able to get right on top of it. I’ll probably lace it this afternoon.

“You have to remember that we are dealing with a living organism and it has a mind of its own. There is only so much we can do, and then we hope for the best. I’ll know more when I see him this afternoon, and Saturday morning will tell us a lot.”