Consortium on Shelf with Ankle Chip

Godolphin’s Consortium will miss the March 3 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) and is off the Derby trail after suffering a chip in his right front ankle, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

The son of Bernardini   had been highly touted after his solid second-place finish behind Algorithms   in a Gulfstream allowance race in December, but was a disappointment when finishing last of six in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) in the slop.

McLaughlin doesn’t believe the ankle chip had any bearing on that performance.

“He came out of that last race really good and has worked well since,” he said. “But the ankle filled following his last work. He’ll have the chip removed at Rood & Riddle and should be back for the second half of the year.”

McLaughlin will enter Darley Stable’s recent maiden winner Side Road in the Gotham and see how the race shapes up. The son of Street Cry broke his maiden by four lengths at Aqueduct Jan. 28.

McLaughlin said Withers (gr. III) and Count Fleet winner Alpha   is “doing great,” and will run next in either the Florida Derby (gr. I) or Wood Memorial (gr. I).

“He’s in Florida and we’ll keep an eye on the Florida Derby and then decide whether to run there or wait for the Wood,” he said.