SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mentee, the 2-year-old full brother to Fierceness who won his debut at Aqueduct in June, was dealing with more than just a temperature when he was sidelined earlier this summer.
Mentee ended up in a clinic in Saratoga for several days where he had the onset of the potentially fatal hoof disease known as laminitis. But it was caught in time and Mentee was treated and he resumed training in time to run in Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.
“Very early onset that fortunately we detected immediately and got treated immediately and had no ill effects from,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
The Thoroughbred Daily News on Thursday reported that owner Mike Repole said Mentee had suffered from laminitis in both of his front feet.
Mentee was entered in but scratched from the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes here on July 13 due to a temperature, Pletcher said. Also, Pletcher said Mentee had swelling in a hock in a hind leg that he was concerned about.
“So we treated that right away and then he was responding to that and he came out a little tender,” Pletcher said Friday. “I didn’t like it, so we sent him to the [Rood and Riddle] clinic so we could treat him right away. He responded immediately. We ended up playing it conservatively more to treat the hock than the feet.”
Pletcher said Mentee basically had ice boots put on his front feet to deal with what was thought to be initial signs of laminitis.
“He was in ice boots and they have the ability to round-the-clock monitor him,” Pletcher said.
Mentee has had three works since resuming training and Pletcher is satisfied with how the horse has trained.
“I think we’re coming into it as good a condition and shape as we can,” Pletcher said.
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