Sky Mesa Sustained Bruised Hoof in Travers

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By Mike Kane and
Phil Janack
Sky Mesa, who finished last in the Travers (gr. I) as the 5-2 second choice Saturday, came out of the race with a bruised left front hoof, trainer John Ward said Monday.

"There was some heat in the inside quarter of the left front on Sunday afternoon and today it was quite tender," Ward said.

Ward said there are no plans to retire the Pulpit colt, owned by John Oxley, now as a result of the injury. In June it was announced that Sky Mesa will be retired at the conclusion of his 3-year-old season and begin stallion duty next year at Three Chimneys Farm.

Sky Mesa is at Ward's barn at Saratoga Race Course. The Ward stable will return to Kentucky after the Saratoga meeting ends on Monday, and Sky Mesa will undergo further examinations.

"We'll go back to Lexington and see what it means," Ward said.

Sky Mesa was unbeaten in three starts as a 2-year-old, including wins in the Hopeful (gr.I) at Saratoga and the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. II) at Keeneland.

A minor ankle injury was discovered on Oct. 25, forcing him to be scratched from the Bessemer Trust Juvenile (gr. I), where he was likely to be the favorite.

Sky Mesa missed the Triple Crown series with a heel injury. He made his 2003 debut on July 6 with a third-place finish in the Dwyer (gr. II) at Belmont Park. In the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3, he rallied in the stretch to finish second to Peace Rules by 1 (three-quarters) length.

Sky Mesa broke slowly in the Travers and rushed up into a stalking position under jockey Edgar Prado, but slowed entering the second turn and dropped back to finish last, some 20 lengths behind Ten Most Wanted.

"When he changed over to his left lead at around the half-mile pole, it probably could have grabbed him," Ward said.

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