Odysseus, who finished last under Rajiv Maragh as the 5-1 co-third choice in the April 10 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), has a bone chip in his left knee according to owner Satish Sanan.
“It’s a bit unusual, it’s rare to have a chip in the back of the knee,” Sanan said. “He must have hyperextended himself in the race.”
Odysseus, whom Sanan purchased for $250,000 from Nick de Meric, agent, at the 2009 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training, won the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) in dramatic fashion prior to running in Keeneland’s nine-furlong Blue Grass Stakes on Polytrack.
Trained by Tom Albertraini, Odysseus went into the Blue Grass to hopefully acquire more graded earnings to make his way to the starting gate for the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). In the Blue Grass he set the pace from the rail with fractions of :23.89 and :47.96 before ceding the lead to Paddy O'Prado . The race was won by 40-1 shot Stately Victor .
“We’ll know more later today,” Sanan said about the health of Odysseus, who remains in Lexington. “It may be a non-surgical issue. We’re in the process of looking at his X-rays as a 2-year-old as well. We’ll do all the analysis and make a decision once we get the right prognosis.”
A son of Malibu Moon out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Persimmon Hill, Odysseus was bred in Kentucky by Haymarket Farm and Lakemont Stable.
“It’s a tough game,” Sanan said. “The same thing happened a few years ago with Vindication. But we’ll be back.”
