Santa Anita: Indianapolis will miss San Vicente after coughing, scoping for mucus

ARCADIA, Calif. - The undefeated 3-year-old Indianapolis will miss his scheduled graded-stakes debut in Sunday’s $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita after he coughed Wednesday and then was found to have mucus in his airway, trainer Bob Baffert said.

“I was going to work him and he coughed,” Baffert said. “He just came up with it. He coughed and we scoped him.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

“It’s a little setback. I’ve got to clear up the mucus. He won’t miss any training. I’ll just have to jog him. I don’t want to work him with it.”

Indianapolis was expected to be a strong favorite in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes, run over seven furlongs for 3-year-olds. Owned by Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier and Derrick Smith, Indianapolis has won both his starts, both over six furlongs – a maiden race at Hollywood Park on Nov. 24 and the San Pedro Stakes here on Jan. 20.

In the San Pedro, Indianapolis stalked the early pace and pulled clear to win by a convincing 4 1/4 lengths in one of the best performances by a 3-year-old at the Santa Anita meeting. By Medaglia d’Oro, Indianapolis has earned $73,200. He was purchased for $490,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

With Indianapolis out of the race, the field for the San Vicente is likely to grow. The list of probable starters includes Kobe’s Back, who won the Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park last June; Cherubim, a maiden winner; and Papa Turf, second in San Pedro Stakes.