D'Wildcat, impressive winner of the Swale Stakes, has been withdrawn from Saturday's Lone Star Derby after suffering a shoulder strain during a gallop at Santa Anita Monday.
"I galloped him this morning and he came back kind of funny," trainer Bob Hess said. "Initially, I thought he tied up. I had the vet check him out and there was no heat or swelling in the right shoulder, but he's definitely got some pain there. We'll put him through some X-rays to make sure there isn't a hairline fracture.
"It's too early to tell how long he'll be set back. It could be anywhere from a month to three months. We need a further diagnosis. All I know is that he won't be able to make the race. It doesn't appear to be that serious and I'm sure it's not a career-threatening injury."
D'Wildcat, owned by David Shimmon's Fog City Stable, was coming off a 10 1/2-length romp in the Swale. His defection leaves Louisiana Derby winner Fifty Stars and El Camino Real Derby winner Hoovergetthekeys as the two headliners. Fifty Stars, trained by Steve Asmussen, is scheduled to breeze a half-mile at Lone Star Park on Tuesday. Northern California-based Hoovergetthekeys will arrive on a Fed-Ex flight early
Tuesday afternoon, according to trainer Brian Koriner.
Other definite starters are Gift of the Eagle, runner-up to Buckle Down Ben in the Laurel Futurity last fall; and Solingen, winner of the Spindle Top at Sam Houston Race Park in March.
Considered possible are Arctic Boy, Percy Hope, Royal Spy, Saved By The Sword, Stable Secret and Take A Gamble.
