scratch

It was one of the better Breeders' Cups that we have seen in a long time and it featured great performances and safe racing, exactly the daily double the Breeders' Cup hopes to hit every year. But the good news has been overshadowed this week by a controversy. Why was White Abarrio (Race Day) scratched just minutes before the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile? The owners, C2 Racing Stable, LLC and Gary Barber, want to know, claiming the horse was "perfectly sound." "There's nothing wrong with him," co-owner Mark Cornett...

As the global racing industry returns to its respective corners following the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the same drum is beating once again: "Regulatory vets are terrible. They have too much power. My horse is sound--we imaged them, we've had no issues, and we wouldn't send them if they weren't 100%." The truth is, all of those statements can be true at the same time--and often are. Whether you're a casual fan, a critic, or a lifelong racing supporter, you could easily walk away from this spectacular week thinking that...

Both Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) and  'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) will scratch from the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Each filly looked to play a substantial role in the wagering with Sweet Azteca 2-1 on the morning line for Richard Baltas and Tamara listed at 7-2 for Richard Mandella. The news was reported on social media by DRF's David Grening. No reason was given for either scratch. Additionally, 20-1 shot Atsila (Ire) (Phoenix of Spain {Ire}) has been announced via the same source...

Abdulla Al Mansoori's West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a multiple group winner, has been withdrawn from the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase after sustaining an injury to his left foreleg, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Saturday. Successful in the 2022 G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange and 2023 G3 La Coupe, the 4-year-old gelding is trained by Ed and Simon Crisford. Also placed in Sandown's G1 Eclipse, West Wind Blows has had a fruitful campaign Down Under this season, running second in both the G1 Turnbull S. this...

A brief glitch in the NYRA graphics package that covered the days scratches resulted in Striking Melody (Majestic City) running for purse money only, by order of the stewards, in Saturday's first race at Aqueduct. At 10:32 a.m., 77 minutes before post time for the first race, Striking Melody was listed as a scratch in graphics that appeared in the upper right hand corner of NYRA's television feed. The listing of the scratch appeared for about two seconds before it came off the screen and at no other point during...

Grade I winner Hit the Road (More Than Ready) has been scratched from Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile due to a fever, trainer Dan Blacker announced via Twitter Friday. "Sad to report we have to scratch Hit The Road from Breeders' Cup Mile as he has a fever," Blacker tweeted. "So disappointed for his great group of owners. Unbelievably bad timing and bad luck. We will get him healthy, regroup and point for the next race." Winner of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile and GIII Thunder Road S. earlier...

Cypress Creek Equine's Ava's Grace (Laoban), runner-up to Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) in the GIII Fantasy S. earlier this month, will scratch from Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks, according to a tweet from Churchill Downs. The tweet went on to say trainer Robertino Diodoro was not pleased with her current condition. Daily Racing Form's David Grening reported the filly's right shoulder is the concern. A nuclear scan is being scheduled. In addition to her Fantasy placing, Ava's Grace was third in last summer's GII Adirondack S. She was 50-1 on the morning...

Dual 2020 Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the heavy favorite for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, has been scratched from the race after spiking a fever, it was announced early Wednesday morning by trainer George Weaver. "Last night, the horse spiked a fever on us," Weaver told TVG, "and we needed to treat him with the doctor last night and he just wasn't fit to go train today. Being this close to a race, he's not fit to run either so we're not going to be able to...