Shanghai Bobby scratched from Saratoga Special

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Shanghai Bobby, the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special, was forced to scratch from the race due to a temperature, said owner Jack Wolf.

“He spiked a temperature at 7, and by 10 it was over 103 [degrees],” Wolf said.

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Wolf added that trainer Todd Pletcher had to have Shanghai Bobby treated with antibiotics to help reduce the fever.

“He seems to think if he reacts [well] to the antibiotics he would be able to make the Hopeful,” Wolf said referring to the Grade 2 race for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs run on Sept. 3.

The scratch of Shanghai Bobby leaves a field of six for the Special, topped by Spurious Precision, who is pinch-hitting for stablemate Carried Interest, forced to miss the Special due to a tender shin.

Pletcher will still be represented in the Special by Drum Roll, owned by the Coolmore Stud connections.

Post time for the Special is 6:46 p.m. and it will be shown live along with the Grade 2 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies in a one-hour broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern.