Breeders’ Cup Notes

Trainer Bob Baffert said today that morning line favorite American Pharoah would be scratched from the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a bad foot.  “He has a deep foot bruise in his left front. We’ll still be putting him through some scans and other things,” Baffert said.  “We’re hopeful he’ll be all right and you’ll see him in the spring. If you look at him he appears just fine. The timing is just terrible. I’ve had to scratch horses before a big race, but this is possibly the worst.  He feels really good. He walks OK, but when he jogs you can see there is something there. Something like this gives you a sickening feeling. It’s a disappointment for the barn and the Zayat family, and anyone around the horse.”

American Pharoah, owned and bred by Zayat Stables. had won a pair of Grade 1 events after finishing fifth in his debut against maidens.  He had been installed as the 2-1 favorite for the Juvenile…

Baffert was considerably more light-hearted in discussing his Classic entrant, Bayern.   “He’s happy and doing fine, he just needs things to go his way (in the race),” the conditioner said. “If not, they run these things every year, right?”…

Fan favorite and Derby-Preakness champ California Chrome “was dragging Willie (Delgado) around this morning,” said assistant trainer Alan Sherman of a morning gallop on the Santa Anita main track with his regular exercise rider. “We took him to the paddock and he was walking on his hind legs. He’s pretty happy right now…”

Morning line chalk Shared Belief worked a leisurely half-mile in 52 2/5 seconds at Golden Gate this morning.  “After the work, Russell [Baze, his jockey] said it was awesome,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “He said there is a lot left in the tank…”

And Elsewhere…