Tragedy struck early in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course May 20 as favored Havnameltdown had to be euthanized on the track from a serious leg injury and jockey Luis Saez was carried off the track and taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The accident happened just on the turn of the six-furlong race with the pace-pressing colt by Uncaptured stumbling and unseating Saez near the three-eighths pole while challenging eventual winner Ryvit for the lead.
The jockey went under Frosted Departure and Havnameltdown continued running before he was caught by the outrider in the stretch. It was then determined Havnameltdown had sustained a severe non-operable left fore fetlock injury.
"It's the worst feeling," said Bob Baffert, Havnameltdown's trainer. "And we grieve. We do grieve when these things happen. There is nothing worse than coming back and the stall is empty. … it is sickening. I am in shock."
Craig Fravel, chief executive officer for 1/st Racing, which operates Pimlico, said, "Obviously we are all devastated, but we are going to continue to press forward while we try to find out ways to prevent these things in the future. No stone will be left unturned."
Saez's agent, Kiaran McLaughlin, said via text that the jockey's wife, Andrea, went with him to Sinai Hospital in Baltimore to await X-rays. The jockey had some pain in his leg.
McLaughlin later reported the x-rays were clean and Saez "wants to ride tomorrow."
As for the race, the third choice Ryvit took home the honor after a strong run under the direction of Tyler Gaffalione, who was a late substitution. Originally Keith Asmussen was scheduled to ride Ryvit but after a broken left index finger May 18, he was unable to ride the colt trained by his father, Steve.
"It's great that the horse went and proved himself," Steve Asmussen said while noting the victory is not bittersweet. "I think it's unfortunate that Keith broke his finger on Thursday. I'm proud of him for making the decision of putting the horse in front of himself."
Ryvit got out to an early lead, dueling with Havnameltdown and holding on by a head a quarter mile in before expanding the gap between himself and the field by the time he hit the stretch. He went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:09.33. Ryvit posted fractional times of :22.23, :44.49, and :56.74.
"He just broke so good," Gaffalione said. "When they do that, you can't take anything away, especially being on the inside."
Asmussen said the key for Ryvit, who has won four straight, was getting away from the starting gate.
He said the effort in the Chick Lang was everything he wanted to see from the son of Competitive Edge . Asmussen said future starts for the 3-year-old could include summer sprints at Saratoga Race Course in races such as the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), with possibly one start at Churchill Downs beforehand.
Ryvit returned $12.80 for a $2 win wager. He was followed under the wire by Prince of Jericho and Frosted Departure.
Ryvit is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare She Is Bedazzling. She has two foals but only one of racing age—Ryvit, who improved to 4-1-1 from seven starts and increased his earnings to $348,068.
Bred by Curt Leake and owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Ryvit was purchased by Finistrerre Racing for $70,000 out of the KP Sales consignment at the Texas Thoroughbred Association 2021 Texas Summer Yearling Sale.
Bob Ehalt contributed to this report.
Video
