Trot Insider has learned that 2016 O'Brien Award winner Mass Production will not race again in 2017.
According to the colt's trainer-driver and co-owner Rick Zeron, the three-year-old son of Muscle Mass sustained an injury in the final of the Goodtimes. He finished a hard-closing second to International Moni, finishing just three-quarters of a length back.
"It's extensive enough," Zeron told Trot Insider. "I had the vet, Dr. Joe Malone, look it over and his opinion was to shut him down and call it a day and we'll start back with him December-January. Everything should be healed up by then and we'll aim to have him back for his four-year-old year.
"He's an open trotter and I don't want to take a chance on ruining him with the stakes racing that's left."
Zeron hopes to have Mass Production back for the major four-year-old stakes, including the Hambletonian Maturity.
"Hopefully we can get him ready for his four-year-old year to let him shine and let the public see the horse that I know he is," continued Zeron. "If he gets a little bit stronger, grows up a little bit more, I'm not shy in saying he'll trot in [1]:51."
Mass Production won five of nine races and more than $285,000 during his rookie year en route to divisional honours. His victories included four Ontario Sires Stakes events highlighted by a season’s best 1:54.4 stakes record effort in the Super Final for Zeron and co-owners James Walker, Bruno Dipoce and Rene Allard of Ontario and Pennsylvania.