Trainer Christophe Clement said Saturday morning that Mr. and Mrs.
Bertram Firestone’s Winchester, winner
of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational, was unlikely to run in the
Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The trainer said he was not happy with the results of an endoscopic
examination performed after the 6-year-old horse worked four furlongs Saturday in
50.62 in company with Grassy
(51.00), who is headed to the Grade 2 Red Smith Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
“Winchester
had a dirty scope after the breeze,” said Clement. “I do not like
the fact the horse did not have a good, clean scope after the breeze and I do
not like to put pressure on the horse. So most probably we will regroup. Mr.
Firestone is leaning against running, and passing on the race, because he is
not comfortable running the horse after a dirty scope.”
The trainer reported that Gio Ponti,
headed to the Breeders’ Cup Mile, came out of Wednesday’s breeze in
good order and galloped 1 ¼ miles on the Belmont Park
training track Saturday morning. He is scheduled to fly to Kentucky on Tuesday.