Grade I winner Karelian, who sustained a life threatening injury in July, has been released from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington.
The 8-year-old gelding was sent to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage after he fractured both right front sesamoid bones, ruptured his suspensory apparatus and disrupted the lateral collateral ligament, dislocating his fetlock during a morning workout.
Karelian won 10 of 22 career starts, including this year's Maker’s Mark Mile (gr. IT), and earned $788,675.
On July 18, Bramlage performed a fetlock arthrodesis with pastern support augmentation. The lengthy procedure involves using plates and screws, and polyethylene cable to reconstruct and support the pastern and fetlock. According to a statement from Rood & Riddle, Karelian progressed well through a series of cast changes and was released to continue his rehabilitation under the care of his owner, Richard Masson's Green Lantern Stables.
"If I handed Karelian a script to follow from the beginning he, could not have done better," Bramlage said in a statement. "He responded well to treatment, regained the blood supply to his foot and has progressed without complications. Though not totally out of the woods, his fetlock joint fusion is progressing well. His pastern support is holding up nicely, and he is getting more comfortable day by day.
"Also importantly the left front foot shows no evidence of overload laminitis, which we always worry about," Bramlage continued. "This is truly a humanitarian mission for his owners. He was good to them and they are just anxious to have him around to live out his days in his home paddock. On occasion people demonstrate a lack of compassion for their horses. More often they demonstrate profound caring, and compassion. Karelian is a wonderful demonstration of the owners love for their horse."