Conquest Two Step Euthanized After Injury

Conquest Two Step, the winner of the Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 31 at Santa Anita Park, was euthanized April 6 because of complications after surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hind leg.



After his final workout April 4, in preparation for the $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes (gr .II) April 11, the 4-year-old son of Two Step Salsa   came back to the barn area at Santa Anita and appeared "uncomfortable," trainer Mark Casse said. After an x-ray, a condylar fracture in his left hind leg was discovered and surgery was scheduled for the upcoming Monday.



"It was significant, but we weren't worried too much," Casse said. "They even wanted to wait until Monday to work on him. The surgery was Monday afternoon and I got a call at about 7:30 (p.m.) from my assistant, Randi Melton, in tears."



Casse said, when Conquest Two Step tried to get up after surgery, he broke his left hind leg again. The damage was so significant, there was no other option besides euthanasia.



"(Owners) Ernie (Semersky) and Dory (Newell) are very wealthy. It wouldn't have mattered what (a second surgery) would have cost," Casse said. "They would have done anything possible."



The colt nicknamed "Guacamole" had a 3-5-2 record from 11 career starts, with $339,408 in earnings. His 1 1/4-length victory over Secret Circle—who went on to win the $2 million Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) in his next start—in the Palos Verdes was the only stakes score of his career, but Conquest Two Step was also a half-length behind Shared Belief, in second, in last year's Malibu Stakes (gr. I). His last race was a third-place finish in the San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) March 7.



BOSSERT: Conquest Two Step Surprises in Palos Verdes



Conquest Two Step was bred in Florida by Manuel Andrade, out of the Pioneering mare Homesteader. He was a $420,000 purchase for Newell and Semersky's Conquest Stables at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s 2013 spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.

"It's tough on everybody," Casse said. "Dory and Ernie have a lot of horses, but this horse was very special to them. Dory's screen saver was a picture of him and Ernie. These horses—unless you're involved in it—it would be tough to understand. They're family members. It's no different than having a cat or dog that they love."