By My Standards out of Woodward with respiratory infection
ELMONT, N.Y. – By My Standards was not entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park after being diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection following his most recent workout, trainer Bret Calhoun said Wednesday.
The issue most likely takes By My Standards out of consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Calhoun said. By My Standards, still in search of a Grade 1 victory, will point to the Grade 1 Clark on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs or the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Dec. 4 at Aqueduct, Calhoun said.
“I was really happy with the work, but when he scoped like that it’s probably not a good idea to put him on antibiotics and put him on a van,” Calhoun said.
The Woodward drew a field of six led by Maxfield, the Stephen Foster winner and Whitney runner-up; Art Collector, the Charles Town Classic winner; and Code of Honor, a multiple Grade 1 winner who is coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin Stakes at Monmouth.
Also entered were Dr Post, Forza Di Oro, and Mo Gotcha, third in the Grand Prix American Jockey Club here Sept. 18.
The Woodward, moved back to Belmont Park after being run at Saratoga for the last 15 years, could be used as a stepping-stone to either the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles or the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Both are scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Trainer Todd Pletcher had shipped Dr Post to California for the Pacific Classic on Aug. 21 at Del Mar hoping to get a line on whether he had a BC Classic contender in the son of Quality Road. But Dr Post ran a weird race, dropping back as many as 10 lengths out of it before rallying to be third behind Tripoli.
“It was a bit of a head-scratcher and a little frustrating because I think if he could have maintained his position he could have been right there,” Pletcher said. “So we’ve been pointing to this since then. He’s been training sharply and he’s run well here before.”
Dr Post won the Grade 3 Westchester here in May, and last year as a 3-year-old finished second to Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes, which was run at 1 1/8 miles.
The draw for the Woodward, from the rail out, is Dr Post, Maxfield, Art Collector, Mo Gotcha, Code of Honor, and Forza Di Oro.
Maxfield will race with blinkers on for the first time.