Foot bruise keeps Sulamani off track

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Sulamani, the Godolphin Racing star who figures as the favorite in Saturday's Arlington Million, did not train as scheduled Thursday morning because of a foot bruise.

Simon Crisford, racing manager for Godolphin, told International Racing Bureau officials that the bruise was not serious enough to submit a scratch on Sulamani, an earner of nearly $2.5 million from nine career starts. Crisford said a scheduled canter before dawn was scrapped because the colt was favoring the foot, but that treatment of the foot in the two days remaining before the Million could allow the colt to race as planned.

Sulamani, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, arrived at Arlington from England early Sunday. He trained as scheduled Wednesday. Crisford, speaking from Newmarket, England, said Godolphin personnel were hopeful the colt would be able to return to the track Friday for light training.

"We're monitoring the situation quite closely," said Crisford.

Sulamani drew post 1 in a field of 13 in the 1 1/4-mile Million.