Physical issue prompts Selcourt's scratch from Desert Stormer

ARCADIA, Calif. – Selcourt was withdrawn from Sunday’s Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes at Santa Anita after a minor setback, trainer John Sadler said.

Selcourt was found to be “off behind,” Sadler wrote in a text message, leading to her withdrawal. “We’ll see how she responds.”

Selcourt was the 7-5 favorite on the morning-line for the $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares. Owned by Keith Abrahams and Medallion Racing, Selcourt has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $363,160.

A 5-year-old mare by Tiz Wonderful, Selcourt won three consecutive stakes here in early 2018, including the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes. Selcourt is winless in three starts this year. She was second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 16.

Fuentes fined for excessive whip use

Jockey Ruben Fuentes was fined $750 by Santa Anita stewards for excessive use of the whip in the $101,404 Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita on May 12.

Fuentes rode Queen Bee to You to a second-place finish, 1 1/4 lengths behind race winner Cordiality. Fuentes was cited for using the riding crop “more than three times in succession without giving the horse a chance to respond – blatant use,” according to a ruling issued last Friday.

Through Saturday, Fuentes, 21, had 11 wins at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that began on April 12.