Two Phil's awaits evaluation after injury

Trainer Larry Rivelli said Monday that Two Phil's is with him in Chicago as plans are being made to have him evaluated for an ankle injury.

Daily Racing Form reported that the injury was detected Sunday, the day after the Hard Spun colt's easy win in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

Plans call for Two Phil's to be transported to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., for further evaluation and possible surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage.

"My vet down here's got a call in to Dr. Bramlage, just waiting to hear back from him as far as what time and when," Rivelli told Horse Racing Nation. "And then he'll be on his way."

Rivelli is keeping the injury in perspective, recognizing that Two Phil's will be able to recover from it.

"It's not a life-threatening injury or anything," he said. "It's not that big of a deal. But it just sucks. Set him back. We're just trying to decide whether we should just go ahead and make him a stallion or not or bring him back and run him.

"Whatever way you go, you'll probably make the wrong call. He'll come back, and he'll be able to race. But if he's not going to be the same, if he's going to be as he is now, why prolong the inevitable? Eventually, he's going to stand stud somewhere. And he's not going to be able to knock out these 3-year-old races, you know, so."

Rivelli said it's especially tough because Two Phil's has so much talent.

"He's an unbelievable horse. It's bittersweet. But I've been doing this a long time. And people were telling me, 'Congratulations, you made it to the (Kentucky) Derby,' three weeks before the Derby. I was like, no, we didn't make it to the Derby. Call me when they're loading the gate and congratulate me. I know how this goes."

Two Phil's seemed to have exited the Ohio Derby in good shape. With Gerardo Corrales riding, he drew off in the stretch to win by 5 3/4 lengths.

"It's an injury that we've seen a million times, and it happens," Rivelli said. "They're athletes, it happens. There's nothing you can do about it. You go back and watch the race, and the track was in good shape. And he had an effortless trip. We didn't have to throw him down even. He just kind of drug the kid all the way around there."

In his previous start, Two Phil's put in a strong effort to finish second in the Kentucky Derby. Before that, he won the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). He has a career record of 10: 5-2-1 and earnings of $1,583,450. His connections planned to point him toward the Haskell (G1) and Travers (G1).

He is owned by Patricia's Hope LLC, Phillip Sagan and Madaket Stables and was bred by Sagan.