Printemps drops out of Milady

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A back problem that has plagued Printemps throughout the year will prevent her from starting in Sunday's $250,000 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

"She hasn't missed a day, but we've missed a couple of works," trainer Ron McAnally said. "We've had to treat her in between both of her races. We've had two or three horses that are off behind. I think the track is getting loose."

Printemps is unbeaten in two starts in the United States - the restricted Santa Lucia Handicap on April 6 and the Grade 2 Hawthorne Handicap on May 6. The 4-year-old Printemps, a four-time stakes winner in Chile last year, may make the $300,000 Vanity Handicap on June 30, McAnally said.

Her defection costs the Grade 1 Milady its second leading contender in less than a week. Last weekend, Gourmet Girl, the winner of the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in April, was declared from the race because of a cough.

The Milady will not have a large field. The probables include Lazy Slusan (the 119-pound starting highweight), Feverish (118), Frankly My Dear (114), La Ronge (113), and Lady Melesi (113).

Frankly My Dear and Lady Melesi are shipping from Kentucky. Frankly My Dear has placed in three stakes this year, while Lady Melesi won the Lady Hallie Handicap at Sportsman's Park in April.

Lazy Slusan, the winner of the Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita in March, is likely to go favored. She won the B. Thoughtful Stakes for California-breds on April 28.

Riboletta may run at Del Mar

Eventually, the top members of the older filly and mare division on dirt will face Riboletta, the 2000 division champion who arrived at trainer Eduardo Inda's stable at Santa Anita on Tuesday.

Inda said Riboletta will begin jogging this weekend, and will do so for 10 or 12 days before she begins galloping. Inda is hoping to start Riboletta by the end of the summer with the major stakes of the Belmont fall meeting as a long-term goal.

"She should be ready by the last part of Del Mar," Inda said. "She's got a little body on her, but her legs look super. That was my biggest concern."

Owned by Aaron and Marie Jones, Riboletta was sent back to Inda after aborting a foal earlier this spring in Kentucky.

Palmeiro still ailing

Palmeiro is doubtful for the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 15 after emerging from a loss in an allowance race on May 14 with sore feet, trainer John Sadler said.

A battery of tests - both X-rays and nuclear scans - have been conducted on the 3-year-old Palmeiro, but nothing major appeared, Sadler said.

"The scan was okay, but he has sore feet," Sadler said. "He's kind of day-to-day to see how he responds. He'll determine his own schedule. We'll soak his feet and determine a course of action."

Palmeiro was second earlier this year in the Santa Catalina Stakes and San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita. He was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby in early April.

Aptitude, Skimming work out

Aptitude and Skimming, trainer Bobby Frankel's team for the $500,000 Californian Stakes on June 10, worked Wednesday.

Aptitude, second in the 2000 Kentucky Derby, worked seven furlongs in 1:26.20. A 4-year-old, Aptitude finished sixth in the Dubai World Cup, his only start of 2001.

Skimming, who won the 2000 Pacific Classic and was second in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on May 5, worked six furlongs in 1:13.80.

At Santa Anita on Wednesday, Golden Ballet worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds. The winner of the Railbird Stakes on May 19, she will be a heavy favorite in the Princess Stakes on June 16.