Rich Strike Injured, Future to be Determined in 60 Days

Rich Strike , winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), faces an uncertain future following an injury setback that will keep him on the shelf for two months. The success of his treatment plan will determine if he ever races again.

Owner Rick Dawson said Aug. 18 that the 5-year-old son of Keen Ice   sustained a torn ligament in his left foreleg. Dawson said this latest setback is unrelated to a previous injury to the same ligament.

"It doesn't appear that it's exactly in the same location as the previous injury, even though it's basically the same suspensory ligament, it's actually a little bit of a tear," Dawson said. "When I started this over a year ago, the rehab and treatment and stem cell, we pretty much did it all. I felt like maybe we had a 20-25 percent chance to get him back on the track.

"I probably went from 20-25 percent prior to this, down to five or 10 percent so I won't have a long, drawn out rehab this go around if, in fact, that's what's recommended."

Dawson, however was encouraged that while Rich Strike's injury is in the "same general area between his knee and his ankle," the ultrasound showed that the efforts to heal the previous injury were successful. 

Rich Strike had been under the guidance of trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga for two months, and shortly after his most recent breeze Aug. 7., Mott noticed Rich Strike wasn't favoring the left foreleg when he would walk or jog, but when he would gallop there was a difference. Mott noticed heat to the touch.

An ultrasound was performed in New York and it revealed the extent of the injury. Rich Strike was relocated back to Margaux Farm near Midway, Ky., where he arrived Friday. Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington has put Rich Strike on a regimen of 500 mg of prednisolone orally daily for two weeks, then cut back to 250mg daily for two weeks before stopping the medication. Rich Strike will then be limited to walking for 30 days before another ultrasound is performed to determine the next steps. 

Dawson said if the injury has not healed or a prolonged rehabilitation is required, he would retire Rich Strike and seek a stallion deal.

"If we can't get him back on the track and some reasonable amount of talent, obviously, with a high expectation of him being sound and healthy, then we'll look to retire him, see what kind of stallion (deal) we could put together. I look forward to that. And if that's what his future is, then that's fantastic as well," Dawson said.

Rich Strike last raced in the 2023 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, finishing fifth. Bred by Calumet Farm, Rich Strike is 2-1-3 from 14 starts and has more than $2.5 million in earnings.