too cruel

Tough news to pass along on Nautical Agent. She's okay, chilling in her stall at Overbrook Farm in Colts Neck, but her racing days are over. She suffered a condylar fracture of her left front leg in that last race at Philadelphia Park and will require stall rest for the next three or so months. These next few weeks are key, as laminitis and colic are both risks, but she's been a good patient so far, can put weight on the leg and has been smart enough to take it easy on herself in the stall. Doug passed along that she's unhappy to miss her training in the morning, but the gang there has been giving her extra attention to help her cope with the new routine. I was down to visit with my dad and she was her usual self: picky of the snacks she chose to munch on, nipping at our jackets and acting the real sweetheart, true to form.

She's wearing a Robert Jones bandage similar to the one The Tin Man has on now. It protects the leg, provides support and overall helps facilitates the healing process. She has a complete fracture, but the vet doesn't believe that it warrants insertion of a screw. Time should pretty much do the trick. If our plan had been to race again, the screw would be required, but we were looking at 3-4 starts more, anyway, before retiring her, so it's a moot point. With some good fortune and the 3-4 months of hanging out, she should be 100% sound to get back to her goofy dances and be a broodmare if that's in the cards. Right now, we're just keeping our fingers crossed that she hangs in there, gets through these critical few weeks and can let time work its magic into the new year. A tough pill to swallow, yes, but hope remains very much in the fold and, with any luck, she'll be busting her moves again before we know it. As always, it will be quite the sight to see.