Bal a Bali, the Brazilian Triple Crown winner who has qualified for a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), is being treated for laminitis, according to Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm, which owns the son of Put It Back with Siena Farm.
Fox Hill reported on its website that Bal a Bali was scheduled to fly out to trainer Richard Mandella's Southern California stable over the weekend, but a small lameness issue cropped up nearing the end of last week. The 4-year-old colt was sent to a clinic near Fox Hill and the problem was later confirmed as laminitis.
He is being treated by Dr. Weston Davis of Palm Beach Equine and Dr. Vernon Dryden of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital.
An Aug. 11 update from Davis posted on the Fox Hill website said: "We have Bal a Bali in the cold water spa last night and he has been iced in there continuously except to take out for x-rays this a.m. Spirit and appetite are great. Lameness was moderately increased again this a.m. for the x-rays but he walks well in the soft rides. Digital pulses remain moderately elevated. X-rays showed more thickening at the front of the left fore, still no severe change, but worrisome. He is back in the spa now and we are continuing all treatments. Plan to keep him in the spa continuously and reassess radiographs in the a.m."
The winner of 11 of 12 starts with one third and converted earnings of $510,078, Bal a Bali was purchased by Fox Hill Farm and Siena Farm in Kentucky through John Fulton, former Southern California trainer and South America-connected bloodstock agent after winning the Gran Premio Brazil (Brz-I), a "Win And You're In" Breeders' Cup qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Turf.
The Brazilian Jockey Club and Hipódromo da Gávea created a video feature on Bal a Bali. See Bal a Bali's races and commentary, the video is in Portuguese.
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