Phantom Boss to skip Best Pal

DEL MAR, Calif. – A minor illness will prevent graded winner Phantom Boss from starting Saturday in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar, trainer Jorge Periban said Wednesday morning.

California-based Phantom Boss won the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 29 at Churchill Downs and would have been among the favorites in the Best Pal. However, he spiked a temperature Sunday morning, one day after working a half-mile.

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“He’s not running,” Periban said Wednesday. “I cannot run him after he only walked Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.”

Phantom Boss recovered quickly from the illness, and returned to the track for light training on Wednesday. Periban will aim the 2-for-3 son of Shackleford to the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for Cal-bred 2-year-olds on Aug. 30. Periban did not rule out running him in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 2.

The expected runners in the $200,000 Best Pal: Schrodinger, Fore Left, Raging Whiskey, Collusion Illusion, Thanks Mr. Eidson and Wrecking Crew.