Banks Hill scratched from Flower Bowl

ELMONT, N.Y. - As expected, defending champion turf filly Banks Hill was scratched out of Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational due to the soft condition of the Belmont Park turf course.

Dr. John Chandler, president of Juddmonte Farms, scratched Banks Hill after being advised by fellow European trainer Paul Webber the condition of the course. Webber is here to run Ulundi in Sunday's Turf Classic Invitational.

"We were quite keen to run, but Paul Webber walked the course and advised us it was soft," Fabre said from France.

Fabre said Banks Hill would be flown to California on Wednesday to run in next Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Yellow Ribbon at Santa Anita.

With Banks Hill scratched, trainer Bobby Frankel will run Starine in the Flower Bowl and John Velazquez will ride. Frankel scratched Surya out of the Flower Bowl, and said she would run next in Friday's Grade 2, $500,000, Winstar Galaxy at Keeneland.

As of 11:15 a.m. there were no scratches or changes out of the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup.