Alicia Wincze Hughes on horse racing

WinStar Farm’s Endorsement, winner of the Grade III Sunland Derby on March 28, will miss the Kentucky Derby after suffering a non-displaced condylar fracture of his right front ankle during a his four-furlong workout at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning.

The son of Distorted Humor worked a strong half mile in :47 2/5 but trainer Shannon Ritter, who was aboard the colt for the move, said she felt him start going lame on the walk back.

“I was just letting him cool out a little bit, I didn’t even notice it right away until we had been further down the road walking,” said Ritter, who would have been saddling her first Derby starter this Saturday.

Elliott Walden, vice president and racing manager for WinStar Farm, said he did not believe the injury was career-ending but that more would be known after the colt undergoes surgery, which is likely to take place on Thursday.

“It’s disappointing for the whole WinStar family, especially for Shannon,” Walden said. “She’s done a great job with this horse and hopefully he’ll be back. The x-rays look pretty straight forward.”

Attending veterinarian Dr. Bo Landry said if the surgery goes well, Endorsement could be healed in 3 to 6 months.

“I’m sure they will take the longer road (with his recovery) because he’s a talented horse and they want to do what is best for him,” Landry said.

The lightly-raced Endorsement had won two of four career starts. He put himself into the Kentucky Derby picture when he upset graded stakes winner Conveyance by three lengths in the $800,000 Sunland Derby.

WinStar Farm began the week with four Derby contenders but with Rule and Endorsement now out, the operation’s hopes for a first Derby victory now lay with Grade II winner Super Saver and Illinois Derby winner American Lion.

Shortly after news of Endorsement’s injury came down, trainer Todd Pletcher announced that Interactif would not run in the Derby and point for a grass campaign instead.

Interactif is a multiple graded stakes winner on the turf and his connections had been debating whether to try him in the Derby for the last several days.

Wednesday’s defections open the door for Backtalk and Make Music for Me to get into the Derby field. The post position draw for the race will take place today at noon.