Stonestreet Stables owner Jess Jackson suffered a second setback in as many days when his star colt Kantharos broke down badly during trackwork at Saratoga on Monday.  

Kantharos (Lion Heart) was one of the pre-post favourites for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in November.  He scored by 11 lengths on debut at Churchill Downs in May and followed up with runaway wins in the G3 Bashford Manor Stakes (9 lengths) and G2 Saratoga Special Stakes (seven lengths).

“We are terribly saddened by this awful event,” Jackson said.  “He had limitless potential.  His prognosis for a healthy recovery is good but his racing career is over.”

The retirement of Kantharos was another blow for connections after their reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) was defeated in the G1 Personal Ensign Stakes on Sunday.

Kantharos is by former Coolmore shuttler Lion Heart who was sold to the Jockey Club of Turkey as part of a three stallion package earlier this year.  International sires Dehere and Powerscourt were included in the deal.

There was better news for Dehere at Saratoga on Monday when his Australian bred gelding Senor Dehere scored on debut.  He broke sharply under Julian Leparoux and then finished powerfully to win running away by two lengths.  

Senor Dehere (4g Dehere – Senorita Lucy by Senor Pete) is trained by Graham Motion for Australian owner-breeder Ron Finemore.  The trucking magnate also part-owned Hussonet stakes winner Husson Lightning who is now based at Heytesbury Stud in WA.

Finemore raced Senor Dehere’s Kiwi bred dam Senorita Lucy.  She scored twice in New Zealand and was also credited with wins at Rosehill and Hawkesbury.  Besides the Saratoga winner, she has foaled the Sydney winner Hussenor (Hussonet) and colts by Not a Single Doubt (2) and Hussonet in the three season between 2007 and 2009.