Gimme Da Lute Euthanized After Surgery

Two-time graded stakes winner Gimme Da Lute was euthanized this week after he sustained a catastrophic leg injury following surgery to repair a fracture in one of his hind legs.



According to co-owner Mike Pegram, the 3-year-old son of Midnight Lute   suffered a fracture in one of his back legs during training at Santa Anita Park Nov. 3, when he drilled four furlongs in :46 2/5, the fastest of 35 at the distance that morning. Surgery was successful to repair the injury, but Pegram said Gimme Da Lute severely broke his leg coming out of recovery.



"They went in, did the surgery, and he came out of the surgery fine," said Pegram, who owned and bred the colt in California in partnership with Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. "He should have had a full recovery, but it was bad luck, good luck, bad luck.



"It's a gutshot, and unfortunately it's the third time I've gone through it with a good horse and stallion prospect, but this is the business we chose. It just reminds you how lucky you are when you have a good one and can keep them healthy."



The breeze Tuesday was Gimme Da Lute's fifth work since winning the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar, his fourth stakes victory in a row and fifth of his career. The stretch included graded victories in the Affirmed Stakes (gr. III) and Los Alamitos Derby (gr. II). Out of the Proud Citizen   mare Casino Gold, Gimme Da Lute had a 6-1-2 record from nine starts with earnings of $627,560 for trainer Bob Baffert.



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"Any time you win four stakes in a row in California, you're a damn good horse," Pegram said. "The good thing is, we still have the mama and the papa, so maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle again."

Baffert was unavailable for comment the morning of Nov. 6.