Over Head's objection, Polydream a vet scratch from Breeders' Cup Mile

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Polydream was scratched lame Friday morning from the Breeders’ Cup Mile by state veterinarians to the great consternation of five-time Breeders’ Cup winner Freddie Head.

Head insisted both publicly and to state and Breeders’ Cup veterinarians that Polydream was moving the same way she always does and that nothing was amiss with the filly, the morning-line favorite for the Mile.

“It’s a disgrace,” Head said later Friday morning. “You think I’m taking a horse to America that’s not ready to run?”

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Scratch time for Breeders’ Cup races both Friday and Saturday was Friday morning, and therefore a standard race-day veterinary exam was performed on Polydream at the international quarantine barn, where Polydream has been housed since arriving here from France on Friday night. The examining veterinarian watched Polydream trot and deemed her unfit to race because she was lame in a foreleg.

“Polydream was a KHRC vet scratch,” said Bruce Howard, referring to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, for which he is chief racing veterinarian. Howard said the KHRC declined to offer further comment regarding Head’s assertions.

Head, who has three Breeders’ Cup Mile wins as a trainer with Goldikova and two more as a jockey with Miesque, said regulatory vets had told him throughout the week they believed Polydream “was travelling in a funny way.” Head said that assessment was made watching Polydream trotting in the barn, and that state veterinarians declined to observe her at a gallop as late as Friday morning, when Head trained Polydream on the Churchill dirt track at about 7:30.

“She trots in an awkward way because she has offset knees,” said Head. “On the track she is a pretty mover. I’ve tried to take them on the track to see her gallop – they wouldn’t come. The state vet said no and no one can override their decision.”

Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch made note this week of how impressive Polydream looked while galloping and during a dirt breeze.

Polydream ships back to France on Monday. She was an early entry into the Hong Kong Mile, but Head said Polydream won’t run in that race. The 3-year-old filly, whose big win this season came in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, is likely to have a 4-year-old campaign, according to her trainer.

Polydream is the second Mile scratch since entries were taken Monday. Hunt, who was part of the field, didn’t ship here from California. Hunt’s scratch allowed the race’s first also-eligible, Divisidero, into the field, while Polydream’s defection means another 3-year-old filly who has shipped overseas, Clemmie, now is in the race.