Fort Hughes Breaks Down at Belmont

Darley Stable’s 3-year-old colt Fort Hughes broke down Sunday morning during a breeze on the Belmont Park training track and had to be euthanized.

“He was a very talented horse who reminded me a lot of his sire,” said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who indicated the injury was a fractured cannon bone. “This is an extremely tough part of this game. There are a lot of highs, but also a lot of lows.”

A son of Henny Hughes, Fort Hughes’ most recent start came in winning the Jimmy Winkfield on January 17 at Aqueduct, a six-furlong stakes race in which he registered a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, third best among all 3-year-olds this year.

With a record of 2-1-0 from three starts and earnings of $84,600, he had been pointing for the Grade 3 Bay Shore on Saturday, April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Marsha Barrs, the exercise rider who was on Fort Hughes when he broke down, was uninjured in the incident.