NEWS
Stakes-placed Piscitelli off Triple Crown trail
Posted: Monday, February 01, 2010 6:02 PM
by Steve Bailey
William C. Schettine’s Grade 3-placed winner Piscitelli will be sidelined for at least 90 days after sustaining a leg injury in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) on January 23 at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Richard Sacco said the three-year-old Victory Gallop colt will be out of training from February through April, which would eliminate him from consideration for this year’s Triple Crown races.
Piscitelli faded after setting the pace and was eased by jockey Kent Desormeaux in the Holy Bull. The colt’s right hind limb appeared to be injured following the race and digital X-rays were taken of his hocks, stifles, and fetlocks by Luis Castro, D.V.M.
Piscitelli subsequently was then sent to Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, Florida, for further evaluation. A bone scan revealed an injury to his right hind cannon bone.
“Piscitelli has a deep bone bruise at the bottom of his right hind cannon bone,” Castro said. “Although it is painful, horses with this injury can make a complete recovery with 90 days rest.”
Piscitelli won his second start, a one-mile maiden special weight race in July at Monmouth Park, prior to a third-place finish in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) on September 5 at Arlington Park.
He then finished fifth in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland Race Course and fourth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park to cap his 2009 season.
Overall, Piscitelli has won one of six starts with a second- and a third-place finish, and has earned $181,570. He is out of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Rayelle, by Relaunch.
“The prognosis for soundness and a full recovery is excellent, and we are thankful to have the opportunity to race this talented colt again in the future,” Sacco said. “Hopefully, we will be ready for races like the Haskell [Invitational Stakes (G1)], [Shadwell] Travers [Stakes (G1)], and Pennsylvania Derby (G3) toward the end of summer and early fall.”
Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times
