Normandy Invasion Fractures Sesamoid

Normandy Invasion, the talented but trouble-prone Fox Hill Farms runner who finished fourth in the 2013 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has fractured a right front sesamoid, according to owner Rick Porter.

The 4-year-old son of Tapit   was gearing up for a return under the supervision of trainer Larry Jones when the injury was detected. He last finished 10th in the June 7 Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).

"Normandy has to be one of the unluckiest horses we've had in the barn," Porter posted on the Fox Hill Facebook page. "First, he had the deep abscess along with being underweight which caused us to give him the second half of his 3-year-old year off.

"After just a few races at 4, he then got a lung infection that caused us to give him plenty of time this year.

"He was getting close to a return when Larry noted the smallest amount of swelling, though he wasn't lame in the least, and it turned out to be a fractured sesamoid."

Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle Equine Clinic told Porter there's 50-50 chance that the colt could return at his prior level with no increased risk of injury. Bramlage is expected to make a further determination on that when he re-examines Normandy Invasion in about 45 days. In the meantime, the colt will rest at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.

"It's just a shame, he's got so much tallent," Porter said. "Larry was very excited about Normandy's prospects for 2015, so we just have our fingers crossed that the healing goes well enough that Dr. Bramlage gives us the green light to return him to training.

"Dr. Bramlage said he's seen horses with this exact same type of fracture, good horses, that have come back and raced at their same level. And he's seen other horses that can't get back. I'm just going to go on his word. He's given me advice on a lot of horses."

Formerly trained by Chad Brown, Normandy Invasion broke his maiden in November 2012 and was quickly placed into stakes company by his connections. He finished second in the Remsen (gr. II) by a nose to Overanalyze  . At 3, he was runner-up when three-quarters of a length behind Verrazano   in the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I), and ran fourth in the Derby.

Abscess issues put the colt out for the rest of 2013. He returned victorious in February of this year with an allowance win for Brown at Gulfstream Park, and was second in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) behind dual grade I winner Palace Malice. The lung infection set him out for a great deal of time this season; he was moved to Jones' barn after his 10th in the Met Mile. 

Normandy Invasion last breezed Sept. 17, getting four furlongs in :46 4/5 at Delaware Park. He has two wins and three seconds from nine career starts with earnings of $504,390.

"I will not race him unless Dr Bramlage tells me he can race at the same level as he previously raced," Porter said.