Renegade will be sidelined for the rest of his 3-year-old season due to bone bruising, according to the Daily Racing Form. Since finishing eighth in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on August 29—his poorest result in nine starts—Renegade has not returned to training.
Trainer Todd Pletcher shared with DRF on September 29 that they anticipate the horse will be out of training for roughly 60 days, aiming to resume preparation with a 4-year-old racing campaign in mind. This timeline rules out participation in the upcoming Saudi and Dubai events, but they hope to engage in a full season afterward.
All of Renegade’s wins have come in stakes races. The Into Mischief colt crossed the finish line first in his second career start as a juvenile but was placed second after bumping Paladin, a future graded stakes winner, during the stretch. He officially earned his first stakes victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before capturing the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in his next race. Renegade also finished near the top in two classics, placing second by a neck in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont Stakes. He returned to victory in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes prior to his loss in the Travers.
Bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low, Renegade sold for $975,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, purchased by Repole Stable, with the Lows retaining a share afterward. Renegade is out of Spice Is Nice (by Curlin), the 2021 Grade 3 Allaire Dupont Distaff winner, who was also trained by Pletcher for the Low family.
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Fan Take: Renegade’s setback is a blow to fans eagerly following this promising colt’s trajectory, but his planned return as a 4-year-old could add excitement to the next racing season. Injuries like this highlight the physical demands of top-level racing and underscore the importance of careful management to preserve the sport’s most talented athletes.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
