Trinniberg well following Woody Stephens victory; Giant Ryan waiting on surgery
by BRIS
Date Posted: 6/10/2012 6:24:47 PM
Last Updated: 6/14/2012 12:58:03 PM

Trinniberg picked up his third graded stakes victory of the year on Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park, taking the Grade 2 Woody Stephens by 1 3/4 lengths in front-running fashion.

On Sunday morning, the three-year-old Teuflesberg colt was said to be in good spirits.

"He's doing very nice," said owner Shivananda Parbhoo, who campaigns the colt with his father, trainer Bisnath Parboo. "He's happy, he ate all his food, everything is good on his side."

Trinniberg, runner up in the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 2 Nashua Stakes last summer in New York, started his sophomore campaign with a victory in Gulfstream Park's Grade 3 Swale Stakes, followed by an easy win in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Bay Shore. He finished 17th when stretched out for the Kentucky Derby, and on Sunday made a triumphant return to sprinting as he led at every call to take the seven-furlong Woody Stephens.

"I was thinking about running him at Calder, but he's done a lot of work this year so far," Parbhoo said. "I'm going to give him two weeks off and we'll train him for the (Grade 1) King's Bishop (going seven furlongs on August 25 at Saratoga)."

Trinniberg's win was bittersweet for the family after their Grade 1-winning sprinter Giant Ryan fractured both left front sesamoids during the running of the Grade 2 True North Handicap earlier in the day on Saturday.

"He's OK this morning, not good, but OK," Parbhoo said of Giant Ryan, who remained stabled overnight at Belmont. "He ate his food last night, and drank a lot of water, which is a good sign."

Parbhoo said that the current plan was for Giant Ryan to have surgery in an attempt to repair the fracture so he could go on to a stud career, but that nothing was firmly scheduled.

"We're waiting on a call from the doctor and then we'll ship to the hospital, most likely New Bolton (at the University of Pennsylvania). I'm hoping for today, but waiting for their call."

Giant Ryan, six-year-old son of Freud, was honored at the New York Thoroughbred Breeders' annual awards banquet on April 2 as the New York-bred Horse of the Year, champion older male and champion sprinter in early April following victories last year in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational and Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap.

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