I Wanted Wings scratched from Oaks

I Wanted Wings has been scratched from the Hambletonian Oaks as the result of what is most likely a career-ending infection, according to co-owner Eric Cherry. “She had an injection in her right front ankle and it got infected,” he said. “She’ll probably be OK to breed, but I don’t think she’ll be able to race again.”

 

The Muscles Yankee daughter of Veronica Lake had compiled a 21-4-4-3 slate in two seasons of racing and had earned $394,424 for Cherry and partners Jerry Silva and Robert Cooper.  Those earnings helped her advance to the Hambletonian Oaks final after she finished third in her elimination. She had drawn post eight in the final and was listed at 20-1 with David Miller to drive.

 

Cherry  is philosophical about the twist of fate. “I was excited to be in the race,” said Cherry. “I mean, I know there was probably not a chance for her to win, but it’s a race and she could have gotten a check. I can’t believe that with all the horses I’ve owned, I have never had this happen to me before – an infection from a joint injection – and this is the horse and the race when it has to happen.”

 

Cherry said that he sees an irony in the situation. “I bought Southwind Tempo thinking she would not be able to come back to the races and we would just breed her, but instead she is having a great season (Southwind Tempo is closing in on $2 million in earnings). And I Wanted Wings, who is a homebred that we were looking forward to racing in all the big races, will probably be a broodmare now.”