Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Real Quietwas taken to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center Feb. 19 after showing signs of discomfort after mounting his mares. He stands at Dr. William Solomon's Pin Oak Lane Farm near New Freedom, Pa.
"Everything was fine in the beginning, but then Dr. Solomon noticed he was a little off in the behind," said syndicate manager Mike Jester. "When he went to breed, he was uncomfortable enough to where he would mount and come off, mount and come off.
The cause of the pain has not been discovered, but nuclear scintigraphy performed Feb. 23 detected heat in his hind feet.
"Everyone I've spoken to said that's not the cause, that's just the result," Jester said. "It's something else.
"Some trainers and vets said most likely it's something across his top line. It could be in his hind quarters or maybe a sciatic nerve. Since he's carrying heat in those hind feet, you have to worry about laminitis. At least we're in good hands."
Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who spent months at New Bolton, was euthanized Jan. 29 from complications from laminitis.
Real Quiet, who also won the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) the year he was champion 3-year-old male of 1998, was represented by eight stakes winners in 2006, including grade I winners Wonder Lady Anne L and Pussycat Doll, who also is a grade I winner this year. He has sired a dozen career stakes winners.
Real Quiet, a 12-year-old son of Quiet Americanout of the Believe It mare Really Blue, is booked to 80 mares this year. His fee is $5,000.
