The “Breeders’ Cup jinx” has struck again. Kentucky Derby future-book favorite Vindication, the undefeated 2-year-old champion who capped his 2002 campaign with a rousing score in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will miss this year’s Triple Crown.
The son of Seattle Slew has been sidelined indefinitely by an undisclosed injury to his left front suspensory, described by trainer Bob Baffert as a “suspicious spot.” The trauma was discovered Wednesday when Vindication underwent an ultrasound scan after bruising his foot in a blazing five-furlong workout in :58.2 on Jan. 25, a prep for his 3-year-old debut.
“We are not yet sure of the extent of the injury until we ultrasound [again] in 60 days,” said Nadia Sanan, daughter of Vindication’s owner, Satish Sanan, and general manager of his Padua Stable. “Unfortunately, this derails his training for the Derby.
“This is obviously a devastating blow to my family, but we remain hopeful that we will soon know what the problem is, and he will be able to resume training as soon as possible.
“Vindication has been in the hearts of many of his fans and the racing public. That is why we are being so open about what is going on from the beginning.”
Vindication’s defection means that, for the 19th time in 19 years since the Breeders’ Cup began in 1984, the Juvenile winner will not win the Derby. In fact, Vindication is the 10th Juvenile winner who didn’t even make it to Churchill Downs the first Saturday in May.
Furthermore, he extends the streak to 24 straight years in which the 2-year-old champ did not win the Derby. The last colt to do it was Spectacular Bid in 1979.
Vindication, who cost a whopping $2,150,000 at the 2001 Saratoga yearling sales, won his first start last July at Del Mar gate-to-wire by 5 ½ lengths, then took an allowance by 1 1/2. In his stakes debut, he won Turfway Park’s Kentucky Cup Juvenile by six.
In the Oct. 26 Breeders’ Cup, Vindication battled for the early lead and drew away late to take the mile-and-an-eighth Juvenile by 2 3/4 lengths over his stablemate Kafwain.
Although he had yet to run this year, Vindication already was a center of controversy when Baffert named jockey Jerry Bailey to replace Mike Smith, who rode the colt in all four of his victories. Bailey was aboard for the last workout.