Battle of Midway Euthanized After Training Breakdown

Battle of Midway, the 2017 Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, was euthanized Feb. 23 after he broke down during a training session at Santa Anita Park, according to Fernando Diaz-Valdes, racing manager for co-owner Don Alberto Stable.

Diaz-Valdes said the horse's connections (Don Alberto, co-owner WinStar Farm, and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer) discussed all options to try to save the 5-year-old son of Smart Strike, but the injuries were too severe. 

"Terrible. Terrible game. He broke down. He shattered his pastern in his hind leg," Diaz-Valdes said before the decision was made to euthanize Battle of Midway. "We want to do anything possible to save the horse, but the vets say there’s no way. There’s too many pieces. We are trying. We want to do anything to save the horse because he gave us so much.

"There’s no words. For us, it’s the loss of a child."

Hollendorfer confirmed later in the morning Saturday the injury was a fracture to a hind pastern and that it occurred during a timed workout. 

"We’ll just do the best we can to try to go on," the Hall of Fame trainer said.

Dr. Rick Arthur, the California Horse Racing Board's equine medical director, said Battle of Midway was one of two horses who broke down during training and had to be euthanized Saturday morning at Santa Anita. The second horse was an unraced 4-year-old gelding named Just Forget It. He was trained by Librado Barocio. Though they occurred just minutes apart during the 7:45 a.m. training session, the incidents occurred on different parts of the Santa Anita main track. Battle of Midway was injured at the top of the stretch, and Just Forget It was injured near the wire.

Battle of Midway was retired from racing after his Dirt Mile victory to pursue a stud career, but he was discovered to be subfertile. Of 61 mares bred, only a handful were found to be in foal.  

BLOODHORSE STAFF: Subfertile Battle of Midway Returned to Training

Returned to training in May 2018, it took Battle of Midway a couple of starts to get going. He finished second in the the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) and fifth in the Kelso Handicap (G2) in his first two starts back, but he soon regained his form. He won the Comma to the Top Stakes and Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar, then finished second in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) to wrap up his 4-year-old season.

His 5-year-old debut featured a stretch battle with fellow grade 1 winner McKinzie, and Battle of Midway won by a half-length, which inspired his connections to consider a run in the March 30 Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1). With the retirement of Accelerate  and City of Light  in January, he was in the discussion as one of the top older horses in the country.

BALAN: Battle of Midway Outlasts McKinzie in San Pasqual

Bred in Kentucky by Thor-Bred Stables, out of the grade 1 winner Rigoletta, Battle of Midway earned more than $1.5 million and had a 8-4-2 record from 16 starts.

"Great respect and love for Battle of Midway," WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden said on Twitter. "I am sorry for the horse, his fans, for Jerry’s team, for Don Alberto, and WinStar Farm. Thank you for (your) condolences. He was a warrior and loved to run. I saw him breeze last week and he looked super. This is an awful tragedy and please pray for all."