Weemissfrankie, who finished fourth as the favorite in the
$402,000 Hollywood Starlet Saturday, suffered a condylar fracture to her right
front leg and was scheduled to undergo surgery Sunday, according to trainer
Peter Eurton.
Weemissfrankie stumbled at the start of the 1 1/16-mile race
from post one under Rafael Bejarano. “It probably happened when she went to her
nose at the start, and probably got worse during the race,” said Eurton. “It
didn’t get really bad until she got back to the barn.”
Eurton said the filly was scheduled to be vanned to Los
Alamitos Sunday morning and be operated on by Wayne McIlwraith, a renowned
surgeon.
“She only got beat 2 ¾ lengths on three legs,” said Eurton,
marveling at the courage of the filly, who was seeking to become only the
second to sweep the Del Mar Debutante, Oak Leaf Stakes and Starlet.
The mood was much different in the Jerry Hollendorfer
stable, celebrating the upset victory by Killer Graces in the Starlet. “She was
very happy,” said assistant Dan Ward. “She was just dragging the guy around
this morning.”
Killer Graces, giving Hollendorfer his second Starlet win in
three years, is expected to return at Santa Anita this winter.
Jose Miranda, assistant to trainer Ron McAnally, said that
Starlet runner-up Charm the Maker also returned in good shape.