Free As A Bird, Handsome Mike Out
Oct 29, 2014 20:12:41 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Oct 29, 2014 20:12:41 GMT -5
Articles from Bloodhorse
Handsome Mike Out of Dirt Mile With Injury
Multiple graded stakes winner Handsome Mike on Oct. 28 was declared from the upcoming Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) because of a leg injury.
"He came back from the track after galloping with a little swelling in his left front leg," said Leandro Mora, assistant to suspended trainer Doug O'Neill, about the 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy , a stablemate defending Dirt Mile winner and 6/5 morning-line favorite Goldencents . "We scanned him, and it came back clean, but the swelling was still there. Four veterinarians recommended that I scratch for the health of the horse.
"It was bad timing," said Mora of the injury, which is not considered career-threatening. "He will get 20 days off."
Owned by J. Paul Reddam, Handsome Mike won the 2012 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) and has earned $1,005,413 with three victories in 30 starts. He was third behind Tom's Tribute and Rock Me Baby in the Del Mar Mile (gr. II) Aug. 24 in his most recent start and was pegged at 30/1 odds on the morning line for the Oct. 31 Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park.
Because of suspensions in New York and California, O'Neill was not permitted to enter horses in this year's Breeders' Cup. The horses were instead entered in the World Championships under Mora's name.
Free as a Bird Refuses to Fly, Out of Cup
By Ron Mitchell
Free as a Bird was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Wednesday morning after the 5-year-old mare refused to fly, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.
Wilkes said the daughter of Hard Spun -- Take the Cake, by Fly So Free, became upset when engines were started on the Tex Sutton charter plane bringing horses to Santa Anita Park from Kentucky. Other than her apparent fear of flying, the mare is fine, Wilkes said.
Free as a Bird was 15-1 morning-line shot who would have been ridden by Tyler Baze from the 9 post.
As a result of the defection, Lael Stables' Ageless draws into the field for the Turf Sprint, contested at 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf track. The 5-year-old Successful Appeal mare has won or placed in 14-of-16 starts, finishing second to Free as a Bird in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes over yielding turf at Keeneland on Oct. 10.
A homebred for Elizabeth Volando, Free as a Bird was riding a five-race stakes win streak coming into the World Championships. With earnings of $503,208, the mare has an 8-4-5 record from 21 starts.
Handsome Mike Out of Dirt Mile With Injury
Multiple graded stakes winner Handsome Mike on Oct. 28 was declared from the upcoming Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) because of a leg injury.
"He came back from the track after galloping with a little swelling in his left front leg," said Leandro Mora, assistant to suspended trainer Doug O'Neill, about the 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy , a stablemate defending Dirt Mile winner and 6/5 morning-line favorite Goldencents . "We scanned him, and it came back clean, but the swelling was still there. Four veterinarians recommended that I scratch for the health of the horse.
"It was bad timing," said Mora of the injury, which is not considered career-threatening. "He will get 20 days off."
Owned by J. Paul Reddam, Handsome Mike won the 2012 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) and has earned $1,005,413 with three victories in 30 starts. He was third behind Tom's Tribute and Rock Me Baby in the Del Mar Mile (gr. II) Aug. 24 in his most recent start and was pegged at 30/1 odds on the morning line for the Oct. 31 Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park.
Because of suspensions in New York and California, O'Neill was not permitted to enter horses in this year's Breeders' Cup. The horses were instead entered in the World Championships under Mora's name.
Free as a Bird Refuses to Fly, Out of Cup
By Ron Mitchell
Free as a Bird was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Wednesday morning after the 5-year-old mare refused to fly, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.
Wilkes said the daughter of Hard Spun -- Take the Cake, by Fly So Free, became upset when engines were started on the Tex Sutton charter plane bringing horses to Santa Anita Park from Kentucky. Other than her apparent fear of flying, the mare is fine, Wilkes said.
Free as a Bird was 15-1 morning-line shot who would have been ridden by Tyler Baze from the 9 post.
As a result of the defection, Lael Stables' Ageless draws into the field for the Turf Sprint, contested at 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf track. The 5-year-old Successful Appeal mare has won or placed in 14-of-16 starts, finishing second to Free as a Bird in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes over yielding turf at Keeneland on Oct. 10.
A homebred for Elizabeth Volando, Free as a Bird was riding a five-race stakes win streak coming into the World Championships. With earnings of $503,208, the mare has an 8-4-5 record from 21 starts.