Vekoma, morning line favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, is expected to be a scratch after spiking a temperature Tuesday night, according to the Daily Racing Form's David Grening.
In an interview with TVG, trainer George Weaver said the horse had been seen by a veterinarian late Tuesday and wasn't able to train Wednesday morning.
“I was happy with everything until we got the news he had a temp last night,” said Weaver. “The horse had been doing fantastic and felt like he was almost going to put a crown on this year's achievements. Very disappointed, but I'm glad the horse is going to be ok and I'm looking forward to seeing his second career.”
Vekoma will stand stud at Spendthrift at the conclusion of his career. Weaver said he would consult with Spendthrift to see whether the horse would make another start before retiring.
The race had been a much-anticipated comeback for Vekoma, who had not started in four months after battling a stubborn foot abscess at Saratoga this summer. Prior to his foot woes, Vekoma had looked like he was destined for a strong 4-year-old campaign, with a convincing win in the G1 Met Mile and an impressive 7 1/4-length victory in the G1 Carter this summer.
Vekoma is owned by Gatsas Stables and R A Hill Stable. Javier Castellano had been set to ride the front-running colt.
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