Taraz

Damn…I was really looking forward to watching her race this year. :frowning:

Taraz, an unbeaten filly considered one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Oaks — and tossed about as a potential 2020 Kentucky Derby contender — suffered a catastrophic injury Monday morning at Oaklawn Park, where she was training toward her next start.

A Juddmonte Farms homebred trained by Brad Cox, Taraz died as a result of her injuries.

According to a statement from Juddmonte, Taraz “severely fractured her left front pastern.”

“Given the extreme nature of the damage to the bone and compromise to the blood supply,” the statement continued, “it was agreed that repair was impractical. Having consulted between trainer Brad Cox, veterinarians and Juddmonte management it was deemed best to euthanize the filly.”

The daughter of Into Mischief was impressive and unbeaten in three career starts, signaling huge potential. Following a debut victory Nov. 14 at Churchill Downs, Taraz won Fair Grounds’ Letellier Memorial Stakes by 11 1/4 lengths, then scored around two turns most recently in Oaklawn Park’s Martha Feb. Washington Stakes.

Taraz was working toward the March 7 Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn.

Speaking after that breakout stakes win in the Letellier, Cox said, "With her I think the sky is the limit. She trains so professionally and has impressed us ever since we’ve had her. She’s never let us down in the mornings and obviously in her first two starts she has been ultra-impressive. I think she’s special…

"She’s a huge filly, but it’s her athleticism that has impressed me the most. It’s a God given gift that she has with how big she is and how athletic she is. She does everything so easy and I think the talent is there and I can’t wait to see what the future holds with her.”

From Racing Nation.

C***! C***! C***! So sorry about this.

:no:

Life with horses is not fair.

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This breaks my heart, she was def special, and one I was looking forward to watching 😔

Oh no. What terrible news. She was such a lovely filly. Condolences to Juddmonte Farm. :cry:

Noooo… :frowning:

I just always find these devastating. I know it can happen in any sport, but it just seems like we see more of it lately. I know that the immediacy of the news, due to social media- and cell phone cameras- is different than it was when even Barbaro got hurt, but it is just so hard, all the same.

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I know logically that with horses one bad step is all it takes but it doesn’t make it better or easier.

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I am heartsick about this :cry:

Terrible…just terrible :(. Thoughts go out to all her connections.

We are not seeing any more of it lately. It just gets better coverage. Which I think is good and leading to more information on causes and solutions.

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Breakdowns were probably worse before track surface maintenance become the the intensive process it can be today. But media outside of inner racing circles did not know and did not care - beyond a passing mention.

Tazar reminded me of Zenyatta - big and leggy, winning easily in hand with ears pricked…

What a gut punch. I feel awful for the connections

Rest easy, Taraz

They started Zenyatta fairly late because of her size, didn’t they?

Not 100% sure, but I think it was partially her size and partially her “attitude”. some reference to that here: https://www.paulickreport.com/news/b…ughter-zellda/

Very sad news re Taraz - she looked like a good one!

Nice article about Zellda- that was in November. Not to derail this thread, but did Zellda have her first timed work yet?

She’s had six 4 furlong works since the end of December. http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Res…772&registry=T

(you have to open the “Workouts” tab to see them.)