Monday witnessed several defections from Breeders’ Cup events. Multiple Grade 3 heroine COMMUNIQUE (Smart Strike) was declared Monday
morning from Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) after developing an
abscess in her right front foot.
“She worked good Saturday morning,” trainer Rusty Arnold said from Keeneland,
“but she had a pulse in the foot this morning. We had the blacksmith pull the
shoe and revealed the abscess. It’s not serious, but the timing is obviously
bad. The plan is to race her next year.”
A homebred campaigned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., Communique won the Bewitch S.
(G3) at Keeneland and the Modesty H. (G3) at Arlington Park this year before
finishing second in the Beverly D. S. (G1) at Arlington and third in the Flower
Bowl Invitational S. (G1) at Belmont Park on September 27.
Multiple Grade 2 victor J BE K (Silver Deputy) was ruled out of the Sprint
(G1) by trainer Steve Asmussen.
“He will not run,” Asmussen said. “He has not come back to himself
since running (fifth) in the Vosburgh (S. [G1] on September 27). It’s
disappointing. We felt very good about him this summer. We were going to work
him this morning, but instead we’re going to give him some time. His last race
kind of shook him up a bit.”
Emerging as questionable is Turf Sprint contender SALUTE THE COUNT
(Count the Time). The Richard Dutrow Jr. charge had been scheduled to breeze
Monday morning at Aqueduct, but that work was scrapped at the last minute, and
he may not make the race.
“He had filling in a hind leg,” Dutrow said. “I don’t know if he’s going to
make the race at this point. If he’s better in the morning we’ll put him on the
plane, but right now I’m not sure if he’s gonna make it.”
Dutrow added he would breeze Salute the Count at Santa Anita sometime this
week if the gelding’s filling subsides.
Other certain defections were announced Monday. Norfolk S. (G1) third BELIEVE
IN HOPE (Thunder Gulch) has been forced to miss the Breeders’ Juvenile.
“He spiked a fever of 104 yesterday,” trainer Ron Ellis reported. “The blood
came back and that’s not quite right, either. We’ve started to treat him with
penicillin and he’s out of the race. It’ll be six weeks or so before I can think
about having him right.
“I think this is something that’s been coming on. It’s hard when things like
this happen, but that last work of his (1:15 3/5 for six furlongs October 14 at
Santa Anita) was one I wasn’t too happy with and I think he was starting to tell
us something. It wouldn’t have worked out if we’d run him. So you’ve just got to
step back and hope for the best in the future. Things like this are hard, but
you’ve got to take care of your horses.”
Believe in Hope’s misfortune has worked to the advantage of the first
also-eligible, GALLANT SON (Malabar Gold), who will now draw into the field. The
once-beaten dark bay has won four straight at Emerald Downs, capped by a
six-length romp in the Gottstein Futurity.
“I just was called and informed there was a scratch in there, so we’ll get in
for sure,” trainer Frank Lucarelli said. “That’s where we were hoping to go.”
The news was rather different for the second also-eligible in the Juvenile,
FORTY THIEVES (Read the Footnotes). Trainer Steve Klesaris indicated on Monday
morning that Forty Thieves would more than likely remain at his Maryland base
instead of flying into California.
“We’re second on the also eligible list,” Klesaris said. “If we somehow did
draw in, then we’re forced to leave from a bad outside post. Plus I don’t think
the synthetic track would favor him.”
Three European pre-entrants have also been declared from their respective
engagements. Marathon candidate KING OF ROME (Montjeu [Ire]), Filly & Mare
Sprint candidate PSALM (Sadler’s Wells) and Juvenile Fillies Turf candidate OUI
SAY OUI (Royal Applause [GB]) did not make the trip from Ireland.