Injury occurred during a workout to the great Invasor, forcing his retirement from the track. Juddmonte Farms' Rainbow Quest died this season.
Injury to a thoroughbred happens probably more readily than realized. The wonder is that these wonderfully powerful and athletic animals do not suffer such a fate more often. Think of the pounds of energy and weight carried by four slim, delilcate legs.
The great Urugray Triple Crown winner Invasor, who won 11 of 12 starts, fell to injury this season in a preparatory workout. His owners, Shadwell Stable, made the decision to retire the champion. Invasor fractured the top of the sesamoid bone in the ankle.
Invasor got the best of Discreet Cat in this season's $6 million Dubai World Cup, avenging his only loss which came at the hooves of Discreet Cat in the previous year's Cup. Bred in Argentina, Invasor is the son of Candy Stripes. In 2008, he will begin his stud career at Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
Lost this season was the 2003 and 2004 leading broodmare sire Rainbow Quest. He produced 499 winners and 103 stakes winners after recording his own track career of six wins in 14 starts and earnings of $592,716. Twenty-six years old, Rainbow Quest had stood at Juddmonte Farms in England.
Jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr. was awarded $2.7 million in his lawsuit against Huntington Ambulance. His career ending injury occurred at Santa Anita Park in March of 2003. Pincay, Jr. was thoroughbred racing's all time wins leader with 9,530 victories when the injury forced his retirement.
Russell Baze, who continues to ride, passed Pincay, Jr.'s win total in December of last season.
