New York-bred Audible likely to try open company next

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Audible, who likely would have been favored for Monday’s $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes, has left town, is now in south Florida, and will likely be pointed to an open-company race early in February, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

The Damon Runyon, a one-mile race for New York-breds, was originally scheduled for Dec. 30, but that card was canceled after the fourth race when the riders expressed dissatisfaction with the Aqueduct main track. Pletcher said that Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm, which owns Audible, wanted to get the horse out of the cold weather in New York.

“He arrived at Palm Beach Downs [on Tuesday] for more reliable training,” Pletcher said.

The Damon Runyon is rescheduled for Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day card and is still likely to draw a sizeable field of 3-year-olds led by Battle Station, Jaye Jaye, Evaluator, and Honor Up.