Breeders' Cup Sprint: Vekoma to scratch with fever
Vekoma, the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland, will scratch from that race after spiking a temperature Tuesday night, trainer George Weaver said Wednesday morning.
Weaver said the horse was treated with antibiotics to lower the temperature and he was doing better Wednesday morning, but he could not run.
It is expected that the horse’s racing career is over as he is scheduled to stand at stud in 2021 at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky.
Asked if it was possible Vekoma could be pointed to a race like the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct, Weaver said, “Spendthrift is in charge after this, if they want to pursue something like that they’ll let me know. Otherwise, he’ll be heading to the farm.”
It has been a star-crossed season for Vekoma, who has won all three of his races this year, including the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Carter, both run at Belmont Park.
Vekoma has not run since his Met Mile victory on July 4, owing in part to a foot injury that forced him to miss an intended start in the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 at Saratoga.
Vekoma returned to the work tab in early September and had seven breezes leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.
“We were able to make great progress with his feet, he was training as well as he ever had and it felt like destiny to me for him to run in this race,” Weaver said. “It is quite deflating.”
Vekoma, a son of Candy Ride owned by Randy Hill and Mike Gatsas, won 6 of 8 starts and earned $1,245,525. In addition to his two Grade 1 victories this year, Vekoma won the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct at 2 and the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland at 3.
Vekoma had only arrived at Keeneland on Tuesday after Weaver delayed shipping the horse from Saratoga.
Vekoma’s scratch will allow Lasting Legacy to draw into the Sprint from the also-eligible list.