Two main-body entrants in Saturday's Breeders' Cup races, Laurel River (Into Mischief) and Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) were announced as vet scratches Friday. The former, a Juddmonte homebred conditioned by Bob Baffert, was set to ride a three-race win streak into the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He was last seen annexing the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar Aug. 27 with a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure and was the 9-2 co-third choice on the morning line. Hronis Racing's Bran, meanwhile, was 15-1 in a wide-open GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The John Sadler pupil most recently upset the GII Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10. With the scratch of Bran and prior defection of first also-eligible Dancing Buck (War Fancer), Oceanic (Constitution) draws into the Turf Sprint. Owned by Surfside Stables and trained by Jordan Blair, the two-back Da Hoss S. winner was most recently second behind defending champ Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Woodford S. over course and distance Oct. 8.
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