Untouched Talent out of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Untouched Talent has been withdrawn from consideration for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, trainer Jeff Bonde said Sunday. With her defection, first alternate Lilly Carson will have the opportunity to race in Saturday's Juvenile Fillies.

Bonde said Untouched Talent did not have sufficient time to recover from recent throat surgery to correct an entrapped epiglottis. "It's not completely healed," he said. "It usually takes three weeks to close and fully heal."

Untouched Talent, a Grade-3 stakes winning daughter of Storm Cat, is still scheduled to sell at Fasig Tipton's November Selected Mixed Sale in Lexington on Sunday, Bonde said.

Ralph Nicks, trainer of Lilly Carson, expressed relief to see his filly get a chance to start in the Juvenile Fillies. In her last start on Oct. 14, she set the pace in the one-mile Frizette at Belmont before fading to third behind Sutra.

The defection of Untouched Talent leaves Cohiba Miss as the next alternate in line to start if another filly is withdrawn from the race. Needing only one more horse to bow out of the race before post positions are drawn on Wednesday, trainer Bernie Flint scratched her from Sunday's one-mile Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.