Super Saver sidelined by condylar bruising

Since his 2 1/2-length triumph in the Run for the Roses, however, Super Saver

has failed to crack the top three. Eighth in the Preakness S. (G1), he was

freshened in advance of the August 1 Haskell Invitational (G1), where he tired

to fourth. Super Saver was eligible to move forward off that comeback next time

out in the Travers, but he was never in the hunt and wound up being beaten by a

total of 24 1/4 lengths.

"This explains a lot to me," Pletcher said of Bramlage's findings. "I

couldn't understand those last few efforts where Super Saver didn't extend and

lay it out there like he had in every other race he ran through the Kentucky

Derby victory.

"He has always been very gutsy and determined in his races, even when he set

fast fractions, so this answers a lot of head scratching. When he's right, he's

the ultimate racehorse."

Super Saver, who has amassed $1,889,766 in earnings from his 10-3-2-1 line,

hails from a stellar family. He is out of the winning Supercharger (A.P. Indy),

a full sister to Grade 2 scorers Daydreaming and Girolamo, as well as Grade 3

hero and Grade 1-placed Accelerator. She is also a full sister to the unraced

She's a Winner, herself the dam of 2006 Haskell Invitational winner Bluegrass

Cat (Storm Cat), who ran second in that year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont S.

(G1).

Super Saver's second dam is Grade 3 winner Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector), a full

sister to 1989 champion two-year-old colt and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) victor

Rhythm as well as successful stakes-placed sire Not for Love. The trio's

half-sister Oscillate (Seattle Slew) is the dam of another well-known sire,

Group 2-placed listed winner Mutakddim (Seeking the Gold). His third dam is

Grade 1 queen Dance Number (Northern Dancer), and his fourth dam is 1971

champion two-year-old filly Numbered Account (Buckpasser), who also produced

multiple Grade 1-winning sire Private Account (Damascus).