Pretty City Dancer to miss Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

Pretty City Dancer, one of the top 2-year-old fillies in North America, will not race in the Breeders' Cup, according to trainer Mark Casse.

Casse said last week that Pretty City Dancer had come out of her Sept. 23 workout at Saratoga with a minor ankle injury and had missed some training. On Monday, Casse said that although Pretty City Dancer had recovered from the injury, he had decided to give her 30 days off and that she would miss the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.

Pretty City Dancer, a daughter of Tapit, is owned by John Oxley, who purchased her for $825,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale.

"It's unfortunate," Casse said. "But it's really not a big deal. Everyone says the ankle is fine and that we can carry on, but I'm just not comfortable doing so. I've spoken to Mr. Oxley, and he's okay with this. We have very high hopes for her as a 3-year-old."

Pretty City Dancer is 3 for 4 in her career. In her last two starts, she won the Debutante at Churchill Downs and dead-heated for the win with Sweet Loretta in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga.

While Pretty City Dancer is out of the Juvenile Fillies, Casse said he will be pointing Valadorna to the race. Valadorna won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Keeneland on Friday by six lengths.

A daughter of Curlin owned and bred by the Stonestreet Stables of Barbara Banke, Valadorna earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure for her maiden win.