Dehere Breaks Leg, Out of Triple Crown

After working six furlongs in 1:13 at Palm Beach Downs preparing for the Florida Derby, Dehere was discovered to have broken the cannon bone in his right hind leg and he is out of the running for the Triple Crown.

Returning to the barn of trainer Reynaldo Nobles after the workout, Dehere was sore and the condition became worse while he was cooling out. X-rays showed the break in the long bone above the ankle.

According to a statement released by the Due Process Stable of owner Bob Brennan, Dehere, the 1993 Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s top 2-year-old, was resting comfortably in his stall Friday afternoon and further X-rays are to be taken to see if he’s a suitable candidate for surgery.

“Dehere has been a remarkable and charismatic athlete and has given us enormous joys,” said Brennan. “This news sadly demonstrates how fragile these athletes are. Right now, our sole interest is to do everything possible to make Dehere comfortable and then hope that his racing career is not concluded.”

A winner in five of seven races last year, but soundly defeated by Brocco in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Dehere, a son of Deputy Minister, was beaten in his 1994 debut, but came back to win the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream two weeks ago.