Carribean Caper scratches from Roxelana Stakes; field reduced to three starters

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Roxelana Stakes, the opening-night feature of the spring meet at Churchill Downs on Saturday, is down to just three starters following the early scratches of Euphoric and the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Carribean Caper.

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Carribean Caper “tied up” after Friday training, necessitating the filly be medicated for what equates to cramping in humans.

“She cooled out a little crampy [Friday] morning,” Stall said. “We’re hoping she rallies out of it short-term. We’ve put so much time into having her ready for this. It’s a tough game.”

Carribean Caper, owned by Andrea Pollack, is unbeaten in five starts, having won them by a combined 24 lengths. The 4-year-old Speightstown filly would have been making her first start since late September.

Euphoric, trained by Bernie Flint, also is scratched from the $160,000 Roxelana, leaving just three fillies and mares in the six-furlong race – Cheetara, Bayerness, and Club Car.

First post for a 10-race card that opens a 44-day meet is 6 p.m. Eastern. The first two races ever run on the new $10 million turf course (races 4 and 8) are expected to go as scheduled given a favorable weather forecast.