Belle Watling Recovering From Surgery

Belle Watling, the Chilean-bred mare who is still looking for her first North American victory since building a winning reputation in her homeland, underwent myectomy surgery after she ran ninth in the United Nations Stakes (G1) at Monmouth on July 2.

Trainer Patrick Biancone said the 5-year-old daughter of Dushyantor underwent the surgery Wednesday (July 6).

“The jockey said she could not breathe,” Biancone said, “so we tried the surgery.”

In a myectomy, the veterinarian cuts the two strap muscles in a horse’s throat to change the position of the larynx in the airway. It is meant to stop a horse from flipping its palate, which restricts the flow of air.

Belle Watling won 13 of 16 starts in Chile – including the last 10 in a row – before she was brought to the United States last fall. She has made five starts in the U.S., with her best stakes efforts a pair of fourths in the The Very One (G3) at Gulfstream in February and the Sheepshead Bay (G2) at Belmont in May.

The mare could start in the $200,000 Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) here on July 31 if all goes well.