Rich Strike not entered in Kentucky Cup Classic, has 'non-serious issue'
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Rich Strike was conspicuously absent when entries were drawn Tuesday for Saturday’s marquee card at Turfway Park. The Kentucky Derby winner is now targeting an April start to his season after what owner Rick Dawson termed a “non-serious issue.”
Dawson said Rich Strike, who had been targeting the Kentucky Cup Classic on Saturday at Turfway Park, trained Tuesday morning at trainer Eric Reed’s Mercury Equine Center base. This followed a few days off for the 4-year-old Keen Ice colt, who most recently breezed March 15 at Turfway.
Later Tuesday, Dawson posted on Facebook that the colt would not race on Saturday.
“Eric and I have decided to pass on racing Richie this Saturday due to a very non-serious issue,” Dawson said. “It looks like Richie's next race will be on April 22 either at Oaklawn Park in a Grade 2 stakes, or at Keeneland in a Grade 3 stakes.”
Oaklawn will hold the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 22, while Keeneland has the Grade 3, $300,000 Ben Ali.
Rich Strike has not raced since finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Clark in late November at Churchill Downs.