Top Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Points Offthebench fractured his right front fetlock while working Oct. 26 on the Santa Anita Park main track and was euthanized.
The 4-year-old by Benchmark—Mo Chuisle, by Free House, was trained by Tim Yakteen. He was being worked in company with the mare Rock and Glory at four furlongs and was ridden by jockey Mike Smith.
"He sustained a condylar fracture in his right front," Yakteen said. "You can't describe it—It's sad."
Smith was uninjured and expected to fulfill his lone riding obligation Saturday on 5-2 morning line choice Yes Yes Yes in the sixth race, according to his agent, Brad Pegram.
Points Offthebench was owned by Donnie Crevier and Charles Martin. Bred in California by Gary Rocks, the gelding was coming into the Breeders' Cup World Championships off victories in the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (both gr. I).
"He's been a tremendous horse. He was the nicest horse you would ever find," Martin said. "He had an affinity for Tim's youngest son. You could just walk up and he'd let you pet him for 15 minutes. He was as much a pet as an awesome racehorse. He brought so much fun to all of us.
"I feel bad for Tim, but also for the guys in the barn. Tim's assistant trainer, John (Applegarth), wrote something on Facebook recently about how excited he was to go to work every day knowing they had the fastest racehorse in North America. I'm sure everyone in the barn is devastated."
He won 6 of 8 starts for earnings of $514,940 and would likely have been the program favorite for the BC Sprint.
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=805&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=366&keywords=Points+Offthebench,santa+anita,California,Breeders%27+Cup+Sprint,Mike+Smith,Tim+Yakteen&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')
