Bodemeister skipping Belmont, Creative Cause '50-50' for race

by Brisnet.com

After another agonizingly tough loss to I'll Have Another in Saturday's Preakness

Stakes at Pimlico,

Bodemeister was flown back to California Sunday morning. He will remain in

training, but will skip the Belmont Stakes.

"I've had enough," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert quipped.

Baffert indicated that Bodemeister appeared to be in good condition before

leaving the Pimlico Stakes Barn for Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

"He was actually pretty happy today," Baffert said. "He ate up, got on a

plane and headed back to California. He came out of it really well."

Bodemeister set the pace in the Derby and the Preakness and each time I'll

Have Another managed to catch and pass him near the finish line. The Empire

Maker colt, who captured the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby by 9 1/2 lengths prior to

his Derby and Preakness runs, turned in gallant performances in defeat.

"He's a pretty amazing animal," Baffert said. "He didn't act tired. After the

race, he came back to the barn and he wasn't as tired as he was after the

Derby."

Creative Cause boarded a van Sunday morning following a third-place finish in

Preakness 137 to head for Baltimore-Washington International Airport for a

scheduled 9 a.m. (EDT) flight back to Los Angeles and his home base of Hollywood

Park.

"He came out of the race OK," said trainer Mike Harrington minutes before

putting the son of Giant's Causeway on the van. "Back to California, regroup."

Harrington surprised some observers when he sent Creative Cause home after

his fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, before bringing him back to

Pimlico the following week for the Preakness. He said he is now contemplating

one more cross-country venture to compete in the Belmont Stakes.

"I'd say right now it's 50-50," said Harrington, who was scheduled to get on

a flight Sunday evening with assistant/exercise rider John Cisneros for the trip

home.

"He ran his heart out," Cisneros said. "He didn't have any trouble at all. He

ran hard, and I thought he was going to win it. Today he was very alert and

happy. Actually he was jumping up and down when he was walking."