Carlspur still on road back

Two months have transpired since much has been heard about Carlspur’s road to recovery. When last reported in late March, Carlspur was back in training and only going slow miles.

Last fall after being named “Horse of the Year” at Monticello Raceway, the veteran pacer was stricken with an extremely bad case of colic and was rushed to New Bolton Center in greater Philadelphia for emergency surgery. After a two-plus hour surgery where a good portion of the horses intestines had to be removed the pacer began his long road back.

Progress was slow and lengthy but the “ole campaigner” continued to make progress. Six weeks ago the pacer was trained down to 2:12 but his connections had a scare.

“It amounted to be a minor setback due to some gas pockets through we feared that he was colicking again,” explained co-owner Tom Trezza. “He was a little dull for three weeks or so and we waited for him to tell us that he might be ready to turn the corner, which he did about three weeks ago.”

So they started back with slow miles, only around 2:24-2:20 and then went a trip in 2:19.

"He seemed to be telling us that it’s time to get a little more serious so we turned it up just a bit  and went a mile again in 2:12,” Trezza continued, “and this week we were ready to go in 2:10. But the old warrior turned it up a bit and went a mile in 2:06 with a :29:4 last quarter.”

Now the horse’s connections are starting to get excited to see if there is one more run left in the old guy.

According to Trezza, later this week they plan to train Carlspur a mile around 2:05 and if that goes well a mile in 2:03 the next week.

“And hoping that if all goes well we’ll try to qualify him, maybe at Freehold Raceway since it’s the closest to Salerno’s (trainer Tony Salerno) farm,” Trezza added. “Then back to the races hopefully at Monticello (Raceway).

“I know a lot can happen in three weeks—everything has to work out perfectly—but I’m trying to think positive and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”

Carlspur, now 12,  has 71 wins; 37 seconds and 28 thirds in 251 starts and has earned $882,361. His lifetime mark is 1:48 taken as a 9year old at the Meadowlands and his fastest clocking last season (as a 10 year old) was 1:53.2.

Five of his victories last season were at the Mighty M with the fastest a 1:54.4 clocking though Carlpsur was  also victorious in 1:55, 1:55.1, 1:55.2 and  1:55.3 against the best pacers on the grounds. (Monticello)

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