NEWS
Summer Bird undergoes successful surgery
Posted: Saturday, December 05, 2009 2:28 PM
SUMMER BIRD
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Summer Bird underwent surgery to repair a nondisplaced fracture of his left fore cannon bone and is expected to return to racing next year.
“As long as rehab goes smoothly, he should make a full recovery,” trainer Tim Ice said of the three-year-old Birdstone colt, who was operated upon on Friday after returning from Japan, where he suffered the injury while training for the Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1). “There was no cartilage damage at all. They inserted one screw and it went in with no problem and fit like a glove.”
Summer Bird, owned by Drs. Kararikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman, is considered the leading contender for the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old male. Summer Bird won the Shadwell Travers (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Stakes prior to finishing fourth behind Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on November 7 in his most recent start.
Summer Bird, who would have been the first winner of a U.S. classic race to run in the Japan Cup Dirt, has won four of his nine career starts and earned $2,323,040.
