Breeders' Cup Scratches: O'Brien Team Declines By Eight, McKinzie Street Out Of Juvenile
A series of scratches has been announced by the Breeders' Cup for the upcoming World Championships, including eight of the 18 pre-entered by Hall of Fame trainer Aidan O'Brien.
O'Brien said during Wednesday's media teleconference that his 18 per-entries would be scrutinized by his veterinarians on Friday prior to shipping. Last year, the O'Brien-trained River Tiber, morning-line favorite for the Juvenile Turf, was withdrawn on the morning of the race. O'Brien said then that the scratch was because the Breeders' Cup vets had not been pleased with the colt's condition. River Tiber returned to the races in May and is winless in four starts this year.
On Wednesday, O'Brien said: "It would be unusual for [all 18 pre-entered] to be cleared by our own vets to go."
The scratches from O'Brien's 2024 Breeders' Cup team are: Bubbling (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Monumental (Juvenile Turf), Aesop's Fables (Turf Sprint), Continuous (Turf), Illinois (Turf), Henry Longfellow (Mile), Mountain Bear (Mile), and River Tiber (ae, Mile).
Another major scratch announced by Breeders' Cup on Saturday is that of McKinzie Street from the Juvenile. The two-time Grade 1-placed colt, trained by Tim Yakteen, will instead point to a start in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 17, according to Daily Racing Form.
So There She Was, trained by Doug O'Neill, was removed from consideration for the Juvenile Fillies for an unspecified "little issue."
Kirstenbosch was also scratched from the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint when the John Sadler trainee scoped poorly following a Saturday workout, and Chad Brown trainee Gina Romantica was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Mile.
