He's Spooky returns after stem-cell injections

More stories are surfacing about stem-cell injections being used to treat injuries in horses. One horse who has recovered from an injury thanks to a stem-cell injection is He’s Spooky, a winner of an International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile as a 2 year old in 2009.

The patience of trainer Frank Antonacci has been rewarded in recent weeks as He’s Spooky returned to the track off the long layoff and won June 23 at the Meadowlands in 1:55.3 as the 1-5 favorite. On Wednesday afternoon, July 6, he scored a career-best 1:54.4 victory for driver Tim Tetrick at Harrah’s Chester.

“Coming back as a 3 year old he really didn’t come back good at all. But he gutted his way through training,” said Antonacci. “He qualified good his first time out, but the next day he couldn’t walk.”

Antonacci said he could not find a reason for the lameness, so he decided to send He’s Spooky to Cornell University for evaluation.

“After about three or four weeks we sent him to Cornell to get looked at and they found he had cysts in both of his front ankles,” he said. “We did surgery on him and they did aggressive stem cell injections and he’s come back terrific.

“Right now he’s in non-winners of three so that’s nice that I can work him up the condition classes,” added Antonacci of the son of Cantab Hall. “In my opinion, a 4-year-old year is really tough, especially for a horse that didn’t race at all last year. So I’ll try to get him some confidence, teach him how to race.”

He’s Spooky was purchased as a yearling for $110,000 by Lindy Racing Stable and Robert Rudolph. At the time of the sale, He’s Spooky was named Yancey Hanover, but it took just one look at the young colt to know the name just didn’t fit. Having extremely-rare white eyes which gave the colt a haunting look, his name was changed to He’s Spooky.

“The eyes are still white, that doesn’t change. And he’s still spooky to look at,” he said with a laugh.

Nebupanezzar, who won the 2008 Governor’s Cup, is another horse who underwent stem-cell injections. Now a 5-year-old gelding with career earnings of $949,072, Nebupanezzar made his first start in a year when he won a qualifier in 1:51.1 at Mohawk on July 1.

Nebupanezzar bowed a tendon early as a 3 year old. With owner Bob Glazer’s conferring, the decision was made to have Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., perform surgery, which required the cutting of the ligament above the knee.

Nebupanezzar returned to the races in May 2010, but after making just two starts—a third and a sixth at Mohawk—the tendon injury flared up again. McIntosh discussed options with Dr. Bramlage, who suggested they try stem cell injections, which would hopefully grow new tissue for the tendon.

“It was the first one I have ever done,” McIntosh said of the stem cell procedure. “I was very pleased with the way he responded. His legs look great, but it is a week at a time. Right now, he is very sound.”

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