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American Pharoah scratched from BC Juvenile

American Pharoah's connections are hopeful that he can return to the races next year(Benoit Photo)

American Pharoah, the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile off back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner, was withdrawn from the race Tuesday morning.

The news was initially revealed by owner Ahmed Zayat, who tweeted that the son of Pioneerof the Nile "was off this morning."

The flashy colt is trained by Bob Baffert.

"He has a deep foot bruise in his left front," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "We'll still be putting him through some scans and other things. We're hopeful he'll be all right and you'll see him in the spring.

"If you look at him he appears just fine. The timing is just terrible. I've had to scratch horses before a big race, but this is possibly the worst.

"He feels really good. He walks OK, but when he jogs you can see there is something there. Something like this gives you a sickening feeling. It's a disappointment for the barn and the Zayat family, and anyone around the horse."

Another scratch announced Tuesday was Handsome Mike from Friday's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Trainer Leandro Mora was forced to declare the five-year-old because of a leg injury.

"He came back from the track after galloping with a little swelling in his left front leg," Mora. "We scanned him, and it came back clean, but the swelling was still there. Four veterinarians recommended that I scratch for the health of the horse.

"It was bad timing," said Mora of the injury that he did not consider career-threatening. "He will get 20 days off."

Handsome Mike won the 2012 Pennsylvania Derby and has earned $1,005,413 with three victories in 30 starts. He is winless in seven outings this year.

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