Grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Potente, who bore high expectations as a $2.4 million sales yearling, died in August, euthanized after being diagnosed with a femoral nerve hemorrhage and edema, according to multiple social media reports and confirmed by trainer Bob Baffert.
Baffert told Thoroughbred Daily News the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief was getting weak behind and sent to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington to be evaluated. His condition worsened after only a few days and then declined rapidly. A consultation with multiple veterinarians led to the decision to euthanize Potente.
Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stable campaigned Potente after they purchased the colt at Fasig-Tipton's 2024 The Saratoga Sale, where he was the second-highest-priced yearling at the boutique sale that year. Lane's End consigned the colt for Pamela Wygod and the Wygod Family Revocable Trust.
The Wygods bred Potente out of the stakes-placed Awesome Again daughter Sweet Sting, who they bought for $310,000 from Hidden Brook at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Sweet Sting was out of multiple grade 1 winner Perfect Sting, whose accomplishments included winning the 2000 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T).
Potente was Sweet Sting's fourth foal and became her third winner from four to race. The colt won his racing debut in late January of his 3-year-old year by three-quarters of length in gate-to-wire fashion. He became a graded stakes winner in his second career start by capturing the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and next ran second in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). He ran 12th in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and finished fourth in his last race June 7 in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. His last recorded work was a 4-furlong bullet June 29 in :46 2/5 at Churchill Downs. Potente had $286,325 in career earnings.
