Normandy Invasion Scratched

For Wiz - Meant to post earlier. Maybe this is Porter's way of saying screw ya CDI!

Normandy Invasion scratched from Alysheba Stakes
By Mike Welsch
DRF

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Chad Brown scratched Normandy Invasion from Friday’s Grade 2 Alysheba upon discovering his horse had sustained a quarter crack injury after training Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

“He had a routing gallop this morning and went terrific,” said Brown. “But when he was cooling out, I noticed he’d popped a quarter crack on the outside of his right front hoof. We had the option of putting a patch on it and running him tomorrow. But after speaking with Mr. Porter [owner Rick Porter], it was decided we did not want to run a horse who was not 100 percent for the race.”

Brown said Normandy Invasion, who set a one-mile track record earlier this winter at Gulfstream Park, would return to New York where he would be pointed for the Grade 1 Met Mile on June 7.

“It seems to be a minor issue but the timing is terrible,” said Brown. “We’ll put a patch on and monitor the horse back home. He had an abscess on the sole of his foot last year, but he’s never had a quarter crack issue before. But it’s fixable, it’s a long year and if everything is okay, I’ll just train him up to the Met Mile.”

Normandy Invasion was one of four members of last year’s Kentucky Derby field entered to run Friday in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba. His defection leaves a field of eight older horses led by Eclipse Award winner Will Take Charge.