G2 Coventry S. winner River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has been scratched from the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after withdrawals were posted by Santa Anita on Friday morning California time.
The Coolmore partners' runner won his first three starts and had been the 3-1 morning line favourite for Friday's contest. He also finished third to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in both the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. and looked primed for a big effort. River Tiber was due to be ridden by Ryan Moore. Moore will instead pilot fellow Coolmore runner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He had been due to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.
The team of runners from Ballydoyle has also been depleted by Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) being declared a non-runner in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf.
River Tiber is not the only high-profile European raider to be scratched on Friday morning. Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), trained by Jessica Harrington, is out of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint earlier on the card, the result of a vet scratch, confirmed by his part-owner Con Marnane. Following his withdrawal, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Asean (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) has been bumped up from his reserve slot to take his place in stall 14 under Tyler Gaffalione.
Enhanced veterinary protocols are in place for the Breeders' Cup meeting, with on-site examinations having been taking place on site at Santa Anita from last Friday. Dr Will Farmer, the co-team lead for the Breeders' Cup veterinary team, explained the process for race-morning scratchings to the TDN at Santa Anita on Friday morning.
He said, “We have seven teams of veterinarians that went out and did the stall-side and trot-up exams on all runners today. They were examined this morning.
“Any time that there is a question that arises from these large event days, we have a second team of veterinarians who come in as kind of a referee, as a second pair of eyes. So we have the pair that would look at the horse and if there are any questions or disagreements between the two veterinarians, that second team, which is comprised of CHRB and Breeders' Cup veterinarians on that panel. They would go in and do their exam and confer with the first team of veterinarians that had looked at the horse, and then ultimately come with whatever recommendation or decision that had to be made.”
Dr Farmer added, “The safety of the horse is at the forefront of every decision we make. Whether it's the trainer or the veterinarian scratching the horse, we're all aligned in doing what's in their best interest.
“Scratch decisions are informed by multiple hands-on veterinary inspections in addition to observation of the horse at the jog in the stabling area and on the track while training in the days leading up to the World Championships.”
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