Mending Fences was euthanized after suffering a compound fracture of his right front ankle while running on the lead in the Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) on the turf at Pimlico Saturday.
Jockey Robby Albarado was thrown off his mount, Einstein, who swerved to avoid Mending Fences, though that horse was not injured. Albarado has the mount on Curlin in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Both jockeys, Albarado and Eddie Castro, walked off under their own power.
Dr. Larry Bramlage said the fracture suffered by Mending Fences involved the ankle and penetrated the skin. After transporting the horse from the track and examining the injury, Bramlage said the decision was made to euthanize the horse.
"He had a condylar fracture in his (right front) ankle," Bramlage said. "Going around the turn caused him to dislocate the ankle. When he went down, the fracture went through the skin. That made the prognosis grave. He was euthanized."
Mending Fences, a 5-year-old horse by Forestry out of the Le Fabuleux mare Mended Heart, is owned by Farnsworth Stables and trained by Marty Wolfson. He earned $231,400 in his career, winning seven of 27 starts.The race was won by Remarkable News.