A quick-thinking Mike Smith probably saved the life of Holy Bull.
Jimmy Croll, owner-trainer of the gray champion, said yesterday that he expected to see a horse with a leg dangling after the colt's jockey suddenly pulled up Holy Bull on Saturday during the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.
Smith's efforts to stop the horse as quickly and smoothly as possible, Croll said, prevented Holy Bull from suffering a life-threatening injury.
Holy Bull, honored Jan. 27 as thoroughbred racing's 1994 Horse of the Year, was the 1-5 favorite in the Donn and was making his second start of 1995 en route to what was meant to be a grand tour of major American stakes races.
"A thousand things go through your mind at a time like that," Croll said. "When I got there, and saw the horse standing on four legs, I felt like I had won a race. It was a tremendous relief."
Instead of fracturing his leg and bringing back haunting memories of injuries that resulted in the deaths of Prairie Bayou in the 1993 Belmont Stakes and Go For Wand in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Distaff, Holy Bull suffered stretched ligaments and injured tendons. Croll said veterinarians described the injuries as "at an odd, unusual place under his ankle."
"It's strictly soft-tissue damage, and there is very little swelling. The horse is definitely lame, but not uncomfortable, and in a few days he could be walking sound," Croll said.
But there is no thought of racing Holy Bull again, and, within a month, he will go to Jonabell Farm in Kentucky and begin breeding mares later in the spring, Croll said.
Croll credits Smith for doing "everything absolutely right" by immediately starting to pull up Holy Bull when he sensed the horse wasn't traveling right.
Croll said Holy Bull put his foot down wrong and twisted it when he changed leads after coming out of the clubhouse turn. The incident occurred after about four furlongs in the 1 1/8 -mile race. At that point, Holy Bull was racing on the outside of eventual winner, Cigar, as the pair dueled for the lead.
"Mike had plenty of horse and had him under restraint," Croll said. "The horse switched leads properly, but when he did, he put his foot down wrong, and that's when it happened.
"Mike saw the horse's ears go back. Then he felt he wasn't hitting [the ground] right and started to pull him up. He did a great job and kept him straight when he eased him out and stopped him. The pony boy [outrider] was right there and wanted to help him. But Mike chased him away. He didn't want the pony to throw Holy Bull off balance. As soon as Mike got the horse stopped, he hopped right off.
"It all turned out exceptionally well, for something that could have been tragic."
Croll said he didn't sleep well Saturday night. "But today [yesterday] I'm satisfied with myself after thinking things through. The horse was 100 percent sound and never missed a day's training because of anything that was physically wrong."
John Mooney, general manager at Laurel/Pimlico, was at Gulfstream and witnessed the race.
"It was so upsetting, because I had been to the tracks for several mornings and saw the horse train," Mooney said. "He had that magnificent stride.
"I have never been through such an experience. When the incident occurred, there was almost total silence among the 20,000 people at the track. No one looked to see the finish of the race, and everywhere you looked, people were crying. This really was a horse that had won the hearts of the fans."
Croll said that about 100 people had gathered around Holy Bull's stall after the race.
"Most of them were half in shock. After things settled down, and we knew Holy Bull was out of danger, I asked someone who had finished second or third in the race. No one knew. They were all wrapped up in what had happened to Holy Bull."
Croll said that immediately after Holy Bull was pulled up, the horse "was fighting mad" that he hadn't been allowed to keep running.
"He kicked a guy in the stomach when they were trying to load him in the horse ambulance," Croll said. "But the guy is all right today."
Croll said that last night he unexpectedly saw Jane Lunger, owner of the ill-fated Go For Wand, at a nearby restaurant. "It was an emotional experience," Croll said. "Mrs. Lunger came over and hugged and kissed me and said how terrible she felt when she saw Holy Bull pull up.
"Now, I know what she must have gone through with Go For Wand. I am just so grateful that what happened to Holy Bull wasn't nearly so tragic."