Illness knocks out Moves Like Ali

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Unable to find an allowance race at Fair Grounds, trainer Jeremiah Englehart returned Moves Like Ali back to New York two weeks ago with the intention of running him in Monday’s $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters.

But Moves Like Ali got sick upon his return and will miss the race.

Moves Like Ali, a son of Maclean’s Music, was a sharp debut winner on closing weekend at Saratoga last September. He set the pace in the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont before fading to third behind Theory.

Shortly thereafter, Moves Like Ali underwent surgery to correct a throat issue. Englehart shipped him and about 17 others to New Orleans for the winter, but Englehart said he couldn’t find an allowance sprint to fill.

Englehart thought that before the throat surgery, Moves Like Ali was a nice horse, and since then, “he’s been a real nice horse.”

“I had Shaun Bridgmohan work him for me, and he told me this is the nicest 3-year-old he’s sat on all year,” Englehart said. “I think he was compromised a little bit by his throat.”

Englehart said he wasn’t sure where Moves Like Ali would run next. He said owner Ron Paolucci would like to stretch the horse out in distance at some point, so the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 4 is not out of the question.

A field of five was expected for the Winkfield: Bavaro, Caledonian, Even Thunder, Sal the Turtle, and Shoe Loves Shoe.