DEL MAR, CA — Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings), the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, was scratched on the advice of the veterinarians at the Breeders' Cup, according to Bradley Weisbord of BSW Bloodstock, who serves as Jim Bakke's racing manager.
“(Trainer) Chad (Brown) called me at 6:00 last night to say he had gutting news. He said, `They're not going to let him run.' I just said, `What's wrong?' and he said, `they said he's got a left shin.' For us, it's shocking because this is a horse we sent to Chad in late June, he's made every work from his race on, didn't miss a breeze, ran at Saratoga, breezed back two weeks later, ran in the Champagne, breezed back two weeks later, and has made every work since then. I've watched every one on XBTV, and then he shipped out here, and galloped four straight days in front of everybody.”
Weisbord said that after yesterday morning's exercise, M.V. Magnier of Coolmore, part of the colt's ownership group, came by to see Jack Christopher at the barn with Aidan O'Brien. “We put him away, thinking we're 6-5 in the Juvenile, and I was with Mr. Bakke last night when we got the call. Obviously, the whole thing is a shocking blow.”
“I've been doing this for 14 years, and you're always prepared for something like this, but you just don't want it to be with your best horse,” said Weisbord. “Your attention turns to the owner, and how quickly they're going to get back to being in this sort of position again. They have 14 or 15 horses, so it's hard. It's hard for the exercise rider, the groom, and everyone who cares so much about the horse.”
On Wednesday, the Breeders' Cup announced their safety protocols, which stipulated that the horses would be closely watched and examined by veterinarians. “The Breeders' Cup's world-class veterinary team led by Dr. Will Farmer and Dr. Deborah Lamparater will work in conjunction with CHRB Equine Medical Director Dr. Jeff Blea and other official veterinarians to oversee and implement the comprehensive veterinary exam protocols,” their press release said. “These include observing all potential Breeders' Cup runners in the stabling area, on the track and in their stalls leading up to the event in addition to a mandatory pre-race evaluation on Tuesday, Nov. 2 to ensure every runner is fit to race.”
Weisbord said that Jack Christopher would be sent back to Kentucky for a thorough veterinary check.
“Obviously, we're trying to process the whole thing now, but we'll get him back to Kentucky to have Dr. Bramlage go over him from head to toe,” he said. “As a racing manager, I do that with all of my horses. We turn him out, we'll give him 30-45 days, and start our plans for his three-year-old season. This is a not a major thing. That's the good news here. We'll target Grade I races and we think he'll have a great year.”
The chestnut, owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant and trained by Chad Brown, made it two-for-two with an eye-catching win in Belmont's GI Champagne S. Oct. 2. The chestnut brought $135,000 at last year's FTKOCT sale.
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