Went the Day Well, 2012 Spiral Stakes champ, finished a disappointing fifth in his return to the races Sunday at Aqueduct.

Making his first start in almost 10 months, Team Valor's Went the Day Well was the 1-2 favorite versus five rivals in an allowance optional claiming race for New York-breds.

Trained by Graham Motion, Went the Day Well was never a factor in the mile, 70 yard race finishing six-lengths behind Windafull. On Team Valor's website it was reported that the 4-year-old colt had breathing problems during the $59,000 race.

"Jockey Junior Alvarado said the 4-year-old colt sounded like he was having trouble breathing throughout a fifth-place finish," the website report noted. "Alvarado said the noise was unusually loud--enough so that other riders asked him about it afterward, and Went the Day Well was unsteady while gasping on his way back to be unsaddled. A post-race examination showed that the colt has beginning signs of paralysis in his left vocal cord."

"We'll have to wait about 10 days and then breeze him back with dynamic scope equipment to get a clearer picture of what we're dealing with," said Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin.

Went the Day Well had not raced since the 137th Preakness Stakes last May 19 when he finished 10th more than 30-lengths behind I'll Have Another.

After being brought over from England as a 3-year-old, Went the Day Well won his second start in the United States and then captured the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park. He finished a fast closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby as a 30-1 longshot.