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Two bones broken in Charismatic's leg
NEW YORK (AP) -- The career-ending injury sustained by Charismatic in the Belmont Stakes involves fractures to two bones in his lower left foreleg, similar to an ankle injury a human athlete might suffer.Charismatic sustained a condylar fracture in the cannon (shin) bone, which is a fracture of the knobby end of the bone. He also suffered a vertical fracture in his lateral sesamoid, one of two small bones located above and at the back of the fetlock (ankle), according to Dr. Jim Hunt, veterinarian for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
"It's a complete fracture, the bone is broken to the outside," said Hunt. "There's actually a piece of bone that is loose. He's also sustained a vertical fracture in his lateral sesamoid.
"We can fix the condylar fracture with no problem. The lateral sesamoid is a little bit trickier, it simply has to heal with time."
Dr. Stephen Selway, another Lukas veterinarian, said the surgery will take place Sunday morning.
The colt's lower leg was placed in a cast and he was returned to his stall in the barn at Belmont Park, where Lukas said he was resting comfortably. Surgery at the equine hospital next to Belmont Park will insert screws to hold the fragments of bone together.
"The cast he's wearing now is more of a traditional cast, it's very tight and snug now. They think the sesamoid will heal on itself. All of the tendons look real good," Lukas said.
He speculated the injuries might have occurred at different points of the race.
"They may have happened in different strides because there are two fractures," Lukas said. "Usually when there's multiple fractures they don't happen at the same time, they happen sequentially. He does seem pretty comfortable now."