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Itsmyluckyday, who was pulled up on the backstretch during the running of the June 16 Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park, is expected to miss four months of training with a slight fracture of the ilium.
"It's as good as we could have hoped for," said trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., who conditions the 3-year-old son of Lawyer Ron for his wife Laurie and Triology Stable. "It's a little fracture of the Ilium, which is in the pelvic area. He's still at Mid-Atlantic (Equine Medical Center in Ringoes, N.J.) for a little more testing today, but I expect him to be back here tomorrow or the next day.
"I'm told the success rate of a full recovery is outstanding," Plesa added. "I heard that of 29 horses that have had this issue, 27 of them came back to run just as well as they had before, so that's very promising."
Last year, a stress fracture of the ilium sidelined 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Animal Kingdom for most of the season. That colt returned from an eight-month layoff to run second in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
Itsmyluckyday, sent off the 6-5 second choice in the Pegasus, was moving to engage pacesetter Verrazano on the backstretch when Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith pulled him up.
"Mike did a great job," Plesa said. "It's times like that when experience really matters."
Winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park earlier this year, Itsmyluckyday was runner-up to Orb in the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) before a disappointing 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He followed that up with a solid second to Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) prior to his start in the Pegasus.
"He'll stay here (at Monmouth) for the next 30 days or so," Plesa said. "I'm in no rush to put him on a van and send him back to Florida at this point."
Itsmyluckyday was bred in Kentucky by Liberation Farm and Brandywine Farm out of the Doneraile Court mare Viva La Slew, and was a $110,000 purchase by Plesa and partners at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s 2012 selected sale of 2-year-olds in training when consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent.
Previously pinhooked by Nick Hines for $47,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, he has a 5-3-1 record from 13 starts, with earnings of $830,100.
