Courageous eight-year-old Prince Turbo could have run his final race after his brave victory in Saturday’s G3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont.
Trainer Jason Miller said Prince Turbo will be sent for scans, but fears the Vital Equine gelding may have suffered a career-ending third tendon injury.
“To put a bit of a dampener on it he has heat in one leg,” Miller told Tabradio.
“He’ll get a full vet check tomorrow (Tuesday) and was going to the paddock anyway.
“I think he might have re-damaged one of his tendons, which is sad, but shows how courageous he was to still win.
“I’m not going to jump to conclusions, there’s just a bit of heat there that concerns me in one of his legs.
“I have to go over him with the vets, but I do think there is something there that might be niggling him.
“It puts a bit of a dampener on things, but I’m still over the moon in what the horse has been able to achieve.”
Prince Turbo holds a special place in the heart of Miller and capped an amazing comeback in the Strickland Stakes, scoring a winning hat trick after a two year injury layoff.
With Paul Harvey in the saddle, he revealed all his fighting qualities to defeat a gallant Marocchino by a nose in a thrilling conclusion.
It was Prince Turbo’s first major victory after placings in the Towton Cup (2200m) and A.T,A Stakes (2200m) two years ago and gave Miller a second consecutive Strickland Stakes.
Prince Turbo began racing in 2016 and has collected nine wins and eight placings from 25 starts and close to half a million dollars in earnings.
An unabashed admirer of Prince Turbo, Miller said he was without question the toughest horse he has dealt with.
“I don’t think I’ll see one as tough in my stable for a long time,” Miller said.
“He’s done a remarkable job and we’re all proud of him at the stables.
“You watch a lot of his wins and on the line he always seems to get his head down.
“He has got the will to win and doesn’t like to get beat.
“They are hard to find horses like that.”
Despite the setback, Miller is philosophical about Prince Turbo’s future.
If retirement beckons the gelding goes out a winner on and off the track.
He has given Miller and his group of owners a great ride for over six years.
“He brings a lot of joy to everyone, the owners and all that,” Miller said.
“That’s what it’s all about in this game; when you have a big bunch of owners and everyone’s happy celebrating it’s good to see.
“He means a lot to a lot of people.”
