After sustaining a condylar fracture to his left front leg during an April 18 workout at Santa Anita Park, One Lucky Dane has been removed from consideration for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Jockey Rafael Bejarano pulled up the Lookin At Lucky colt after running five furlongs in :59 1/5 seconds. X-rays later showed the injury in his left front leg, according to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The conditioner said One Lucky Dane will likely need four months to recover from surgery.
"It was left front [leg]," Bejarano said. "I didn't want to take a chance. If I kept going, it could have been worse."
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, One Lucky Dane was transported off the track in a horse ambulance after Bejarano pulled him up near the top of the backstretch.
One Lucky Dane exited the horse ambulance at the Baffert barn walking an all four legs and was hotwalked after the workout. He also lost his left front shoe during the move.
"He's definitely off the Derby trail," Baffert said before the x-ray results were delivered. "Any little hiccup like that -- [Bejarano] didn't feel right and he pulled up. That's why you're never safe until you put the saddle on. But he looks like he's going to be OK."
The colt qualified for the Kentucky Derby with a second-place finish to stablemate Dortmund in the Santa Anita Derby April 4.