David Garner's Cool Conductor, winner of the 2005 Dixie Handicap (gr. IIT) and Arlington Park Handicap (gr. IIIT) is sidelined while he recovers from surgery to remove a small bone chip.Trainer Ralph Nicks said a chip was discovered in a hind sesamoid following Cool Conductor's third-place finish behind On the Border in a June 10 allowance race on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The chip was removed in surgery performed a week later. The 5-year-old son of Stravinsky is now recuperating in Nick's barn at Churchill Downs."They give him a good prognosis," said Nicks. "It looks like there's no soft tissue damage. We'll re-scan that in three weeks and, if there's no soft tissue damage, he goes right back in training."
Nicks said Cool Conductor had experienced some discomfort in the injured leg last summer, but rest took care of the problem then."That ankle was bothering him last year, and we gave him some time off," Nicks said. "This time, that piece broke off."Cool Conductor had finished a close sixth to English Channel in the 1 1/8-mile Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) in his only other start of the year. He was beaten by just 1 ¾ lengths in that race after setting the early pace. His career record now stands at 5-1-6 in 22 races and he has earned $641,395.