by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — A co-owner of Always B Miki, scratched “lame” just minutes before post time from the Breeders Crown on Saturday, has confirmed that the horse had orthopedic surgery Monday morning and a full recovery is expected.

Mitchel Skolnick of Bluewood Stable confirmed on Monday evening that the 3-year-old pacing colt had surgery on Monday morning performed by Dr. Patty Hogan at Hogan Equine in Cream Ridge, N.J.

“She has no concerns (about a return to the races), very optimistic. She said it was a clean break of the P1 (long pastern bone), a sagittal fracture. She pulled it together and put in four screws, she said three screws might have been enough, but he is a very active horse, so she put in an extra one.”

Skolnick said that Hogan had no doubt about a successful return to the races after a period of healing and recuperation.

“He will come to the farm tomorrow (Bluestone Farm in Hopewell, N.J.) for 30 days of stall rest and then 30 days of walking on the Equicizer. Then maybe he can start jogging.”

Skolnick said, “We just don’t know,” how Always B Miki sustained the injury. “I hate to speculate, because we just don’t know,” he said. “It’s repairable and we’re just thankful he didn’t go race (on the affected limb).”

Always B Miki is trained by Joe Holloway for breeders and co-owners Roll The Dice Stable, Val D’Or Farm and Bluewood Stable. He has won $926,866 in his career, including his most recent five races in a row, and has a mark of 1:47.4.