Grade 1 winner Bodemeister will undergo a diagnostic procedure this week at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington due to an undetermined illness.
The three-year-old Empire Maker colt will ship to WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, and will then travel from the farm to Rood and Riddle for an appointment on Thursday.
“Bode arrived at WinStar for diagnostic procedure,” owner Ahmed Zayat posted on his Twitter account Wednesday morning. “He has an appointment tomorrow at [Rood and Riddle] to tell us what’s wrong with him.”
The owner later posted, “No one here in [California] knows what’s wrong with him.”
Bodemeister, who has not raced since finishing second in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 19, missed a planned start in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) on July 29 after developing an elevated temperature. The colt received antibiotics for the fever and his training was put on hold.
“We sent him for a complete examination,” trainer Bob Baffert told Daily Racing Form. “I’m not happy with the way he’s been training.”
Bodemeister, trained by Bob Baffert, has never finished worse than second in six career starts, with career earnings of $1,304,800. After finishing second to Creative Cause in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) in just his third race, the colt romped by 9 ½ lengths in the Arkansas Derby (G1), securing a berth in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). Bodemeister set a wicked early pace in the Derby and held a clear lead entering the stretch before I’ll Have Another collared him inside the final sixteenth. In the Preakness, Bodemeister again held the lead, but fell short to I’ll Have Another after a stretch duel.
It was announced in June that Bodemeister will stand at WinStar upon the conclusion of his racing career. The colt is the first foal to race out of the Grade 1-placed Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent, winner of the 2006 Sorrento Stakes (G3).
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