Kentucky Derby (G1) fifth-place finisher T O Password will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after an injury in Japan.
According to a report on NetKeiba, a Japanese horse racing media site, T O Password sustained fractures to both front legs. Kate Hunter, an American representative based in Asia for a variety of racing companies such as Churchill Downs and Breeders’ Cup, later clarified that Japanese racing media does not linguistically differentiate between bone chips and fractures.
【残念なお知らせ】
— netkeiba (@netkeiba) July 2, 2024
ケンタッキーダービー5着テーオーパスワード(牡3)は両前脚骨折が判明。年内は休養の見込み。
高柳大師「手術をして今日(2日)、放牧に出しました。全治は6カ月と聞いています」 #テーオーパスワードhttps://t.co/l3kBnp56ok
According to Hunter, who oversaw T O Password’s Derby preparations at Churchill Downs, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi had both legs scanned by a veterinarian after the son of Copano Rickey seemed uncomfortable while completing a routine work. The vet found bone fragments in his front knees.
T O Password underwent surgery July 2 to get the fragments removed and the procedure went without issue.
Hunter said the vets will clear him to race after six months, but will be able to enter training beforehand to get race ready.
T O Password began his career with two front-running victories in Japan. His win in the March 23 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama earned him the first-place spot on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Accepting the invitation to compete, T O Password traveled to Churchill Downs, where he broke slowly and was bounced around early in the May 4 Derby. Despite experiencing kickback for the first time in his short career, the colt put forth a strong rally to finish fifth, beaten 6 1/2 lengths.
T O Password has not raced since the Kentucky Derby, nor has his stablemate and travel companion T O Saint Denis, who was second in the May 3 Alysheba Stakes (G2).
