Connections of Uncle Lino, Laoban Regroup

Tom Mansor, Purple Shamrock Racing, and trainer Gary Sherlock's Uncle Lino, seventh in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) but transported off the track by equine ambulance because of an injury, returned to California May 22 for evaluation and is expected to need some time off.

Uncle Lino dueled with favored Nyquist in the Preakness from the start until the top of the stretch and then steadily dropped back. The Uncle Mo   colt had finished third behind Preakness winner Exaggerator in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) before his win in the California Chrome Stakes.

"He ran his ass off until he was injured," Sherlock said of Uncle Lino's Preakness effort. "At the head of the lane, I started to say, 'C'mon.' I thought he was going to go. Then you could see he was beat. I didn't know he had an injury (because) he finished the race and galloped out. They stopped him on the turn coming back."

Veterinarians said Uncle Lino had minor inflammation of a tendon.

"We will evaluate him at home," Sherlock said. "He definitely has an injury, but it's not life-threatening. He probably will need some time, but he's not that bad. He'll live to fight another day."

Meanwhile, trainer Eric Guillot said McCormick Racing and Southern Equine Stable's Laoban, still a maiden in six starts after his sixth-place finish in the 11-horse Preakness field, will spend time at Keeneland in preparation for his next race.

The Uncle Mo colt usually shows speed but raced evenly throughout, but Guillot said he has no regrets. "I always take my shot," he said.

Guillot said he would "take it easy with him and try to break his maiden. I just wish he had handled the track (at Pimlico)."

The track was sloppy for the Preakness, which marked Laoban's first race on an off track.