Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) winner Potesta suffered a career-ending condylar fracture to her left front leg during a morning workout Sept. 14 and was to undergo surgery that afternoon in an attempt to save her life, according to a report from the Daily Racing Form.
The 3-year-old daughter of Macho Uno breezed six furlongs at Betfair Hollywood Park for trainer Mike Mitchell under exercise rider Adalberto Lopez and was galloping out after the move when Lopez heard a crack, reported DRF. The rider jumped off the filly, who was preparing for the Sept. 29 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park and walked her back to the barn.
"It looked pretty bad," Mitchell told DRF. "We want to save her, and her owners said to spare no expense."
Potesta was vanned to Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center to stabilize the injury, which was high above the ankle, according to reports.
Winner of three of four career starts, Potesta raced for Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino. Following her Hollywood Oask win, she captured the Sept. 2 Torrey Pines Stakes in track-record fashion at Del Mar, going a mile on Polytrack in 1:34.86.
Potesta was bred in Kentucky by Maynard Farm and B. A. Man, Inc. She is out of the Furiously mare Katzen, and was a $75,000 purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale in 2010.
