Rainbow Dancer Injured, Retired

Rainbow Dancer, who won the Oak Tree Turf Championship on Oct. 12, was injured in that race and won’t compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 8 at Hollywood Park.

Owned by Carol and C.N. Ray’s Evergreen Farm, the 6-year-old son of Rainbow Quest almost certainly will be retired, according to trainer Jenine Sahadi, which would make him the second horse to have suffered a career-ending injury in the roughly run Turf Championship.

Marlin, who finished second that day, but was disqualified for alleged interference in the stretch, was retired because of a leg injury, apparently incurred in the race.

A winner of nine of 28 starts and $865,521, Rainbow Dancer lost a shoe in the Turf Championship and Sahadi noticed some filling in his left front ankle and suspected he had wrenched the ankle.

However, a scan done on Sunday revealed minor ligament damage.

“I love this horse and I don’t want anything to happen to him,” said Sahadi. “He’ll probably be retired. He’s very comfortable right now. I know Singspiel [the Breeders’ Cup Turf favorite] is very tough, but I think Rainbow Dancer would have run well.”

The victory earlier this month was the third in six U.S starts for the French-bred. He won the Hollywood Turf Handicap at 19-1 last spring and the Del Mar Handicap by a nose over Dowty on Aug. 30.

Sahadi has two other Breeders’ Cup probable entrants, Elmhurst in the Sprint, a race she won last year with Lit De Justice, and El Angelo in the Mile.