Spirit of Makena is recovering from surgery after Del Mar spill

Spirit of Makena, who injured his left front fetlock in Saturday's Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar, underwent surgery this week and is recovering well, trainer George Papaprodromou said in an X post.

"We’ll continue to monitor his progress closely and appreciate all of the kind messages and support," Papaprodromou wrote.

The 7-year-old son of Ghostzapper was pulled up early in the turn of the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien. Jockey Mirco Demuro was unseated, and Spirit of Makena was vanned off the track.

Demuro is "doing good," agent Tony Matos told Horse Racing Nation Thursday. After the fall, he was taken off his ride in the finale at Del Mar and was taken to a nearby hospital for observation. He has mounts Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Del Mar.

Owned by Kristine Chandler and bred by her late husband Bruce Chandler, Spirit of Makena began racing at age 4 and won four of his first five starts, including the San Carlos (G3) and Triple Bend (G2) in 2023. He is 0-for-7 since.