Breeders' Cup Mile: Flotilla, Mshawish not expected to race

Breeders’ Cup Mile pre-entrant Flotilla is “very doubtful” to ship as planned from France to California on Saturday, trainer Mikel Delzangles said. Flotilla has a bruised foot that is unlikely to improve sufficiently for the 3-year-old filly to be properly prepared for the Mile.

“It’s a problem that could be solved in a week’s time, but the timing is bad,” Delzangles said.

Flotilla won the Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall on the Breeders’ Cup program but has run poorly in her two most recent starts, both in France.

Mshawish stays in Europe

Mshawish, fourth in the French Derby in June, will not travel from Europe to start in the $2 million BC Mile, racing officials said Thursday.

Owned by Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani and trained by Delzangles, Mshawish was seventh in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp on Oct. 5, his most recent start. Mshawish won the minor Prix Tourgeville at Deauville in August.

The absence of Mshawish could leave a place in the race for CristoforoColumbo. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, CristoforoColumbo was the second of the two horses not selected for the main field at the pre-entry stage. Boat Trip, first on that list, is expected to run in the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 2.

– additional reporting by Steve Andersen