Stephanie's Kitten will miss Ascot meet

Stephanie’s Kitten will not make her long-awaited trip to England for the June 22 Coronation Stakes at the Royal Ascot meet, trainer Wayne Catalano said Tuesday.

“She has an elevated white-cell count, and we just don’t want to take any chances with her,” said Catalano. “She’s fine. It’s just that she’s only like 90 percent, and if you’re going to run against some of the best fillies in the world over there, you need to be 110 percent.”

Catalano said the decision to cancel was made Tuesday morning with Ken Ramsey, who with his wife, Sarah, bred and owns Stephanie’s Kitten. Ramsey still will make the trip and race a few other horses at the abbreviated Ascot meet.

Stephanie’s Kitten won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall at Churchill Downs, where she has been based this spring. The filly also has won two other stakes, most recently the Edgewood on the May 4 Kentucky Oaks undercard.