Breeders' Cup Classic: Quarter crack prevents Happy Saver from training Wednesday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Happy Saver, the horse who has come closer to Flightline than any horse has at the finish line, did not train Wednesday morning due to a quarter crack in his left hind foot, trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Pletcher is hopeful that Happy Saver could still make Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
“I think we’ll be fine,” Pletcher said. “We just need to stitch it up before we do anything.”
Pletcher said his regular blacksmith was at Churchill Downs on Wednesday morning and would come over to Keeneland later Wednesday to patch it up.
Though Happy Saver is listed at 30-1 on the morning line, he did come within six lengths of Flightline when finishing second to him in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 11 at Belmont Park. Since then, Happy Saver has finished second to Life Is Good in the Grade 1 Whitney and fourth in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.
Pletcher did not breeze Happy Saver last weekend, saying that the horse ran so well in the Met Mile without having a breeze one week before the race.