Thoroughbred “Trophy Wife” has to be put away after mishap at racetrack

Trophy Wife, one of the entrants expected to make a strong showing at this year’s Del Mar races, has been forced to withdraw from competition following a season-ending — and possibly worse — injury to her right leg. “We try to keep the surface as level and solid as possible,” said Del Mar chief groundskeeper Willie Scott. “But sometimes, you’ll get a lump of dropped crabmeat, or a divot dug by some other filly’s shoe during a race. And when that happens, you can wind up with the kind of rollout that Trophy Wife suffered."

Scott, who says he sees more and more injuries of this kind every year, thinks that something needs to change. “Competition and the innovation it inspires are both good things, but if you ask me, it’s gone a bit too far. You have all these perfect specimens going up against each other, each the product of an incredible investment of time, effort, and funds. Generations of careful breeding. Years of the best grooming money can buy. No expense spared when it comes to instilling form and technique through rigorous training. Every single one of these gorgeous creatures is a champion in her own right, but suddenly, she and her team have to find a way to become the best of the best. And that’s when things get out of hand. The envelope gets pushed in every possible direction. All too often, the envelope winds up tearing.”

In Trophy Wife’s case, the envelope was a shoe. “How one of these girls is shod is crucially important to her success; that goes without saying. They simply cannot perform properly without the right equipment. Generally, the higher and narrower the heel, the better the performance. But 20 years ago, that meant a whole lot of two-inch jobs with one-inch bases, and a couple of brave pioneers on a three-inch spike. Trophy Wife? She came in on what we’ve started calling ‘superheels’ — a full five inches high and a contact point no bigger than her pinky tip. Even with the requisite bracing provided by ankle cuffs, you’re asking for trouble with that kind of extremity. And trouble is what she got.”

“It’s tragic; it truly is,” said Trophy Wife’s owner, Tom Razzmatazz. “I had been looking forward to a long and fruitful run with the old girl, especially after what I paid to acquire her. But it’s not like she can compete for the remainder of the season, not with some tacky ankle cast engulfing her leg. And I can’t afford to withdraw now; my absence would not go unremarked upon, you know what I mean? Fortunately, I’ve got a solid backup performer in Exotic Escort.”