Recent winner of the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes, Papa Clem, has been retired due to a minor injury and will stand for $7,500 at Legacy Ranch in California. He is a son of leading sire Smart Strike who has also produced Curlin, English Channel, and Lookin at Lucky. His mare, Miss Houdini, is a Grade 1 winning daughter of Grade 1 winning sire Belong To Me and multiple Grade 1 winning mare Magical Maiden. Shares of the stallion are being sold for $40,000.

Papa Clem’s best win unquestionably came in the Arkansas Derby where he triumphed in a stunning stretch duel over Old Fashioned. He exited that race to post a strong 4th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He ended his three-year-old campaign with a third place finish in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes. He has a strong pedigree and was obviously a great runner. I expect him to do well at stud.

2007 Breeders Cup Mile winner Kip Deville is recovering well from a deadly fight with laminitis at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. It is still very early and it will be a fight for his life, but it’s hard not to be encouraged by good signs. I wish him all the best. Here is what IEAH President Michael Iavarone had to say about Kipper:

“Every day has been better and better for him. He is walking around well, eating well, and is full of himself. He is clearly headed in the right direction, but it is important to never get too excited.”

On a more disheartening note, $2.2 million auction purchase Kinsella was euthanized after sustaining an injury during a workout on Santa Anita’s Pro Ride surface. The son of Mr. Greeley posted his best performance when he finished third in the Grade 3 Bryan Station over the turf at Keeneland in the spring of 2009. I hate reading about the death of our equine athletes who give us everything on the track. The only reward they ask for is a bucket of oats or an apple. They are the best athletes in the world. Every time I read news on the horse racing industry I cross my fingers and hope I won’t come across a story like this one.  Below is a quote from Team Valor International:

“We breezed him, and he finished the work right at the finish line,” said Team Valor’s Barry Irwin. “The injury to his front leg started at the cannon bone and went right through the sesamoids. They were shattered, and we put him down right there.”