Ageless Treated for Injury After Stakes Win

Following her dramatic win in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 9, Lael Stables' Ageless was treated at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute for a cut in her left hock sustained during the 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint.

Trainer Armaud Delacour said the 6-year-old Successful Appeal   mare appeared to have been struck by Free as a Bird—who clipped heels while racing down the backstretch—before unleashing a strong turn of foot in the stretch to just catch 3-5 favorite Lady Shipman at the wire for a head victory under jockey Julien Leparoux in course-record time of 1:03.66.

"There was no structural damage," Delacour said of the injury to the mare who was being considered for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) over the same distance at Keeneland Oct. 31. "They cleaned up some tissues and stitched her up. She will stay at the clinic for four days."

"Her Breeders' Cup status is unsettled; we'll see how she heals," he said. "But obviously, the Breeders' Cup is now in jeopardy."

With 11 wins and eight placings in 22 starts and a bankroll of $713,130, Ageless appears to be living up to her name.

In last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at six furlongs over the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park, Ageless again kicked it in while four-wide in the stretch to finish fourth, only three-quarters of a length behind winner Bobby's Kitten. The mare began the season with a victory in the Giant's Causeway Stakes, another 5 1/2-furlong grass test at Keeneland. Previous to the Buffalo Trace, Ageless won the Royal North Stakes (gr. IIIT) for the second year in a row.

Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, Ageless was purchased for $130,000 at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Meanwhile Lady Shipman, who had a four-race win streak snapped in Friday's race, remains on track for the Turf Sprint.

"She will stay here and be pre-entered (in the Breeders' Cup). That's the owner's main goal," trainer Kathleen O'Connell said of the 3-year-old filly, who is owned by Randy Lowe's Ranlo Investment's LLC.

The race was run over a course labeled firm, but one that had been subject to an early afternoon shower and light drizzle later in the day.

"I think the soft turf got her," O'Connell said. "She was late switching leads and that cost her some momentum.

"She was bucking and playing coming back from the spit box and ate up everything last night, so you have to be pleased with that."