Bodemeister spikes fever, out of Haskell

Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister spiked a fever Saturday

that will rule him out of the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 29, Hall of

Fame trainer Bob Baffert announced via Twitter Sunday.

Zayat Stables' Grade 1 Arkansas Derby star is the latest big defection from

Monmouth's $1 million showpiece, which lost Belmont Stakes hero Union Rags due

to injury earlier this week. While Union Rags will be out for the rest the

season with his tendon issue, at least Bodemeister's setback is simply an

ill-timed illness.

"Unfortunate timing for Bode to have a fever," Racing Manager Justin Zayat

tweeted. "Treating with antibiotics, will return back to track this week."

Zayat added that stablemate Paynter, runner-up to Union Rags in the Belmont,

is now "probable" for the Haskell.

Hansen, last year's champion juvenile colt who finished ninth in the Kentucky

Derby, just bounced back to form with a 10-length romp in the Grade 3 Iowa Derby

on June 30. The eye-catching gray was originally expected to contest the Grade 2

West Virginia Derby on August 4.

"We are now leaning toward the Haskell," co-owner Dr. Kendall Hansen told the

Blood-Horse. "We're perhaps a 60 to 70 percent chance to run at

Monmouth."

In the Haskell, Hansen would meet Dullahan, who ran him down late in the

Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes. Dullahan has since finished third in the Kentucky

Derby and seventh in the Belmont.

Grade 1 Wood Memorial winner Gemologist, freshened since suffering his first

loss when 16th in the Run for the Roses, was penciled in for the Grade 2 Jim

Dandy at Saratoga July 28, until the Bodemeister news broke.

"This changes that," trainer Todd Pletcher told Daily Racing Form.

Gemologist is owned by WinStar Farm, which recently struck up a partnership

with Zayat regarding Bodemeister and will stand the Empire Maker colt when he

retires to stud. With Bodemeister out, the path is clear for Gemologist to be

the sole representative of WinStar's interests.

Wood Memorial runner-up Alpha, also a Jim Dandy probable, is another who

could be rerouted to the Haskell, according to DRF.