Rogue Romance, one of the most promising members of his generation who was assured a berth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with graded stakes earning already amassed, will miss the Run for the Roses with a fracture in his left forefoot.
Trainer Ken McPeek said the Smarty Jones colt, bred by Runnymede Farm in partnership with farm Chairman Catesby W. Clay and raced by Clay, returned lame following an easy three-furlong breeze on Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.
X-rays were taken and sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage in Lexington, who diagnosed a fracture in the foot that will require two to three months of stall rest.
The fracture is not career-threatening and Rogue Romance is expected to fully recover and return to the races following rest at Scanlon Training Center in Ocala.
“This is unfortunate and the worst timing imaginable,” said Runnymede Vice President and General Manager Martin O’Dowd. “But we look forward to Rogue Romance returning to training and hopefully making it back to the Breeders’ Cup this year.”
In 2010, Rogue Romance finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) won by champion Uncle Mo at Churchill Downs, where the Breeders’ Cup will be run again this year.
Winner of the Bourbon Stakes (G3) at Keeneland last October, Rogue Romance had quickly bounced back from a bruised hind heel detected recently and had resumed galloping 1 ½ miles a day prior to incurring the fracture.
Rogue Romance finished third in the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at the Fair Grounds on February 19, his first start of 2011. Ridden by Julien Leparoux, the colt rallied after becoming rank in close quarters on the rail in the early going.
Overall, Rogue Romance has won two of five career starts and finished third twice, with his only other effort a fourth place in his career debut at Saratoga Race Course, where he won a maiden special weight race in his second start. Rogue Romance has earned $321,150 to date.