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Hollywood Park Sad event, happy ending INGLEWOOD, Calif. When Golden Dragon was being vanned off the turf course with a severe leg injury after Saturday's seventh race, owner Gary Biszantz and trainer Mike Puype were understandably concerned. Golden Dragon had suffered a displaced condylar fracture to the cannon bone of his right foreleg, an injury that could have resulted in him being euthanized. Unfortunately for Biszantz and Puype, who started the gelding in the seventh race, they no longer owned the horse Golden Dragon had been claimed for $62,500 by trainer Ted H. West on behalf of a partnership. The decision on the horse's life rested with them. Puype spoke with Biszantz immediately after the race and then approached West about Golden Dragon's status. "I talked to Gary, and he asked me to go check on the horse," Puype said. "I told Ted, 'Maybe we can help you out.' They were a little bit down on the situation. They were nice enough to say you can have him." This week, Golden Dragon will undergo surgery to stabilize the leg, Puype said. His racing career is over - he won 4 of 20 starts and $133,273 - but Puype and Biszantz are hoping he can be saved as a pleasure horse. "We hope to do surgery and find him a home," Puype said. "That won't be cheap, to do the surgery and rehabilitate the horse. I'm very appreciative they gave us the horse." When West was approached, he said he was contemplating having the horse euthanized because of the severity of the injury. "His racing career was definitely over," West said. "He had a really bad condylar fracture. You might be able to save it if it's not displaced. It was completely displaced. I'm happy knowing he's going to a good home." The incident has soured West on the Hollywood Park turf course. He and his partners lost their $62,500 investment. West said he will not enter a horse on the turf course for the rest of the meeting, which ends on July 18. He had hoped to run three or four horses in coming weeks. All meet long, the course has been very firm and has produced fast times, including a course record at 1 1/16 miles. Golden Dragon was one of four horses vanned off the turf course on Saturday and Sunday. Irish Warrior, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile last October, was pulled up during the Whittingham Handicap. He was vanned off with an injury to his left foreleg. Golden Dragon's injury came as the gelding was making his second appearance in a claiming race. Imported from England in late 2001, Golden Dragon had one win in 12 starts in this country. He made two stakes appearances earlier this year, finishing 12th in the Frank Kilroe Mile and ninth in the Inglewood Handicap. After the surgery, Puype and Biszantz hope that Golden Dragon can be sent to Tranquility Farm in Tehachapi, Calif., which works with retired racehorses. Biszantz is a major financial supporter of Tranquility Farm. Puype said he had grown fond of Golden Dragon because of the horse's kind demeanor. "Since I've trained horses, he's the nicest horse I've ever trained," he said. "He will make someone very happy."
© 2002 Daily
Racing Form
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