The Pamplemousse , who was a major player on the 2009 Triple Crown trail before being injured, started jogging earlier this month and will begin galloping in July, his trainer Julio Canani said June 17.
A fan favorite in California after running rivals off their feet in both the San Rafael (gr. III) and Sham (gr. III) stakes at Santa Anita, The Pamplemousse suffered a tendon injury to his left front leg in April 2009 that derailed his promising career. After surgery, the son of Kafwain did a long rehab assignment at Vladimir Cerin’s Cerindipity Farm in Bradbury, Calif. Though the colt is doing well, Canani said he will take his training very gradually. He is stabled at Hollywood Park.
“He’s doing very good,” said Canani. “He’s tight and fresh. But you have to take these things very slowly. You have to go at his pace and give him time.
“I had another horse, Val Royal, that had the same kind of injury, and he returned after a long layoff to win the Breeders’ Cup (Mile, gr. IT, in 2001 at Belmont) after winning the Oak Tree Mile (gr. IIT). That was a tendon (injury) too. You just have to go very slowly.”
Though Canani has no timetable for The Pamplemousse’s return to racing, he said if and when he does come back, he expects the horse to continue winning. All three of his wins were in front-running fashion.
“The horse was a freak,” he said. “We never asked him to go fast in his works, and he still would. We would try to get him to go 1:01 (for five furlongs), and he would work in :58 while three-wide. He was a freak. I hope he can come back like that. He’s doing very good.”
The Pamplemousse, who was bred in Kentucky by Clarkland Farm and is out of the Rubiano mare Comfort Zone, broke his maiden at third asking in December 2008 at Hollywood going two turns. He is 3-0-1 from five starts with earnings of $209,280.
The 4-year-old gray/roan colt is owned by Bienstock and Winner Stables, Jeff Strauss, Tom Lenner, Skyline Stables, and bloodstock agent Alex Solis Jr., who purchased him for $150,000 at the OBS 2008 selected sale of 2-year-olds in training.