Skin disease forces Spun to Run to scratch from Pegasus World Cup
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Spun to Run has developed a skin disease on much of his body and will scratch from the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, to be run on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero said Thursday morning.
"I'm not happy with the skin disease," Guerrero said at Gulfstream Park. "His forearms are hot. It's on his left hind leg. It's for the best. I don't even want to try to run.
"It happened within the last two weeks. He broke out in hives. It was on his stomach, back, all over his legs. He means so much to me I'm almost crying."
Spun to Run won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last fall, defeating Omaha Beach, the likely favorite for the Pegasus World Cup. In his only start since then, he was second in the Cigar Mile. Spun to Run has won five times in 12 starts, including the Grade 3 Smarty Jones at Parx last September.
Spun to Run drew post 9 in the 12-horse field, so those outside him -- Mucho Gusto, Tenfold, and Bodexpress -- will slide in one spot for the 1 1/8-mile race.