Competitive Edge on way back

ARCADIA, Calif. – While trainer Todd Pletcher will run two undefeated Grade 1 winners in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, his other undefeated Grade 1-winning juvenile colt is close to returning to his barn.

Competitive Edge, who went 2 for 2 at Saratoga, including a dominant victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful, sustained a hairline fracture of his left foreleg in mid-September and could return to Pletcher in south Florida by mid-November. Competitive Edge underwent surgery in September to have two screws inserted to stabilize the injury.

Pletcher said X-rays taken after 30 days revealed that the injury was progressing well. He said if the scan after 60 days is the same, then he will ship Competitive Edge to his stable at the Palm Beach Downs training center in south Florida.

“He’s probably two weeks from coming back in,” Pletcher said. “Hope to see him at Gulfstream. I think Competitive Edge is a very gifted 2-year-old. His two races were very impressive. He always trained like a real good horse. I can’t say he’s any better than these two, but he certainly acted every bit as good.”

The two horses Pletcher runs in Saturday’s Juvenile are Carpe Diem, the undefeated winner of the Breeders’ Futurity, and Daredevil, the undefeated winner of the Champagne.