Graydar to miss Dirt Mile with quarter crack

Graydar will be forced to miss Friday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt

Mile after he was discovered with a quarter crack in his left front hoof early

Monday morning. The four-year-old colt would have been one of the favorites in

the Dirt Mile after winning the Kelso Handicap, a Breeders' Cup Challenge race

last month at Belmont Park.

"We believed Graydar had a huge chance in the Breeders' Cup," trainer Todd

Pletcher said. "This is a setback but hopefully he can be 100 percent for the

Cigar Mile."

The Cigar Mile will be contested at Aqueduct on November 30.

Campaigned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, Graydar is undefeated in 2013 with

victories in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park and New Orleans Handicap at

Fair Grounds. He has earnings of $841,560 to date.

"We're obviously disappointed," said Randy Gullatt, manager of Twin Creeks

Racing Stables. "A Breeders' Cup win is a top goal of ours, but we're always

going to do what's in the best interest of the horse first.

"Graydar's comeback

had gone perfectly until this point. He was undefeated this year and was sitting

on a big race in the Breeders' Cup. Hopefully, this foot issue resolves quickly

and we can make the Cigar Mile before he retires to stud."