Nutella Fella , upset winner of the Sept. 4 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, is done for the year due to a hairline ankle fracture in his left hind leg, trainer Gary Contessa told BloodHorse Oct. 12.
The 2-year-old son of Runhappy was initially pointed to the Oct. 7 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack but was not entered when it was thought he had a foot bruise.
“It acted like a foot bruise, but we still immediately X-rayed the leg, and X-rays were clean as a whistle. Yet, it just didn’t respond (to treatment) like a foot bruise, and it acted like more,” Contessa said.
“Dr. (Luis) Castro and I wanted to get a more definitive X-ray and we sent him for a CAT scan at New Bolton Center (in Pennsylvania). Sure enough, that was a great move, because they did the scan yesterday and found a hairline fracture in the ankle.”
Contessa said veterinarians at New Bolton are evaluating whether Nutella Fella, owned by Bell Gable Stable’s, will need surgery, but he thought it was unlikely. The colt will begin his rehab at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland before moving on to a farm in Ocala. Contessa estimated Nutella Fella will be out of training until January.
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“It seems to me, 2-year-olds who don’t make a lot of starts come back at 3 and do really well,” Contessa said. “When we get him back on track and win another grade 1, we’re going to forget all about this.”
Prior to winning the Hopeful Stakes, Nutella Fella won his debut at Delaware Park in July.
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