Weemissfrankie, who finished fourth as the heavy favorite in the Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) Dec. 10, suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture to her right front leg and was scheduled to undergo surgery the following day, according to trainer Peter Eurton.
The 2-year-old filly stumbled badly at the start of the 1 1/16-mile race from post 1 under Rafael Bejarano.
“It probably happened when she went to her nose at the start, and probably got worse during the race,” said Eurton. “It didn’t get really bad until she got back to the barn.”
Eurton said Weemissfrankie was scheduled to be vanned to Los Alamitos on the morning of Dec. 11 and be operated on by Dr. Wayne McIlwraith. Weemissfrankie is expected to miss four to six months.
“She only got beat 2 3/4 lengths on three legs,” said Eurton, marveling at the courage of the filly, who was seeking to become only the second to sweep the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I), Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I), and Starlet.
Third in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) prior to the Starlet, the New York-bred daughter of Sunriver out of the Meadowlake mare Starinthemeadow has won three of five starts in her career with earnings of $559,920 for owners Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, and Ciaglia Stable.
Weemissfrankie
Benoit Photography