Bacio won't make trip to Australia

The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Bacio will not travel to Australia, his connections decided Thursday.

Bacio went into quarantine shortly after his Breeders’ Cup win on Oct. 31 in anticipation of catching a Nov. 15 flight but was taken out of quarantine Friday morning, trainer Wesley Ward said.

Ward cited two primary factors for deciding to bypass the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse: The cost of shipping, and a desire to campaign the horse next spring and summer.

“It would have knocked out for sure going to Ascot,” Ward said.

Bacio won the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at the Royal Ascot meeting in June and returned to England to capture the Group 1 Nunthorpe in August. His two-length Breeders’ Cup capped a perfect four-start campaign and puts Bacio into strong consideration for an Eclipse Award as champion sprinter.

“I really believe he’d have an unbelievable chance to win over there. He pulled up so great we can hardly keep him on the ground. It was going to be quite expensive to get him there. We were thinking we’d put him right into quarantine so we could make the flight on the 15th,” Ward said.

Bacio will instead get a winter break and be aimed at the Shakertown Stakes in April at Keeneland as a prep for the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Ascot.

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