While the news of a horse having a virus of some sort is never well received, trainer Jimmy Takter might have breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing a report from his vet on the status of pacing phenom Lazarus N.
On Monday morning Takter posted on Twitter that Lazarus N, the much-ballyhooed and defeated favourite in the 2018 Canadian Pacing Derby, was clearly not at 100 percent in his Canadian debut.
"First time in my training career [I'm] happy that a horse have a virus," said Takter. "Lazarus N had 10.3 in white [blood cell] count."
While the range varies depending on the device measuring the white blood cell count, the reading is definitely at the higher end for a normal Standardbred.
Lazarus N was sent off at 1-5 in the Canadian Pacing Derby on Saturday. The six-year-old stallion got away third and sat behind Filibuster Hanover through an opening quarter in :26.4 before driver Yannick Gingras hit the accelerator in the backstretch and powerfully brushed to the top. Lazarus N then hit the half in :55.1 before Mcwicked and driver David Miller came after him from first-over on the way to the three-quarter pole in 1:22.3. Mcwicked found another gear in the lane and used a :26.1 closing panel to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Lazarus N in 1:49.
The next scheduled appearance for Lazarus N was back in the U.S. at Hoosier Park in the Hoosier Park Pacing Derby on Sept. 21.