High Fly suffered a condylar fracture of his right leg Saturday and will not start in the $1 million Breeders Cup Sprint. High Fly's defection leaves a field of 13 for the six-furlong Sprint.
High Fly worked a half-mile from the gate in 48 seconds just before 7 a.m. on Saturday and appeared fine upon leaving the track. But Zito said several hours later that High Fly was not doing well, and after having x-rays taken confirmed the injury shortly after noon.
English Derby winner Motivator has been retired after suffering a strained muscle in a workout in England and will miss Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont Park.
His retirement was announced after the completion of a workout in Newmarket, England, on Saturday. The injury occurred to a hind leg.
Since Motivator was scheduled to be retired to stud after the BC Turf, he will not have any additional starts.
Owned by the Royal Ascot Racing Club and trained by Michael Bell, Motivator was expected to be a top contender in the BC Turf.
Artie Schiller worked six furlongs on the Belmont Park turf course Friday morning. This was less than 24 hours after he lost his regular rider, Richard Migliore, who was injured in the paddock Thursday at Belmont. So while Artie Schiller is prepped and ready now for the Breeders' Cup Mile, he will need a new pilot.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens thinks he has found one in Garrett Gomez, though plans had not been finalized as of Friday afternoon, since Jerkens said he still had to confirm the choice with Artie Schiller's owners.
With two minor injuries behind him, Azamour is back at peak condition in time for Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont Park, according to Irish trainer John Oxx.
The latest evidence came on Friday when Azamour worked seven furlongs at The Curragh in Ireland, Oxx said. It was the 4-year-old's last major exercise before leaving for New York on Sunday.
"He's been going nicely in his work," Oxx said in a telephone interview. "He did his last bit of routine fast work and it went well."
ELMONT, N.Y. - At the beginning of the year, Sun King was ranked as one of the nation's top 3-year-olds and was a leading candidate for the Kentucky Derby. He started off well, winning his first two starts, but disappointed in two Triple Crown appearances. Since trainer Nick Zito decided to regroup, however, Sun King has rebounded with a series of good efforts that make him an intriguing longshot in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The leg fracture suffered by jockey Richard Migliore on Thursday at Belmont Park resulted in trainer Mike Hushion working the phones at his barn on Friday morning, lining up a replacement rider for his undefeated filly, Nothing But Fun, in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff Oct. 29 at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Roman Ruler has never run a race at the Breeders' Cup Sprint distance of six furlongs and is clearly more accomplished around two turns than one. But the Grade 1-winning 3-year-old showed plenty of zip Friday morning at Santa Anita, working a half-mile in 46.20 seconds under regular exercise rider Dana Barnes.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey is projected to ride as many as four favorites on Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships card. One horse he will ride that could offer value is Original Spin in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies.
But after guiding Original Spin through a strong five-furlong workout Friday morning at Belmont Park - and then watching a tape of her last race - Bailey is pumped up about her chances.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Owner Ken Ramsey fully expected to be a participant in the Breeders' Cup this year. He just didn't figure it would be with a 2-year-old that he ran first time out for a claiming tag of $50,000.
Though disheartened by the career-ending injuries suffered by Roses in May and Kitten's Joy, the runners-up in last year's BC Classic and BC Turf, respectively, Ramsey has moved on and will try to pull an upset in the $1.5 million Juvenile with Dawn of War.
Not that Bobby Frankel never changes his mind, but for the longest time, the Hall of Fame trainer did not even consider Intercontinental for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
But then Intercontinental won the WinStar Galaxy at Keeneland, and then one of Frankel's other turf stars, Melhor Ainda, was ruled out of the Filly-Mare with an ankle injury. So then Frankel started thinking . . . .
