Panty Raid skips Breeders' Cup

Panty Raid has been withdrawn from Breeders' Cup contention (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com)

Multiple Grade 1 winner PANTY RAID (Include), who was under consideration for

Saturday's Distaff (G1) or Filly & Mare Turf (G1), wound up not entering either

Breeders' Cup event when final entries and post positions were drawn on Tuesday. 

"She's not going in either race," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We took some

blood work on her, and the numbers weren't what we liked. We decided that

everything would have to go perfect for her, and that probably wasn't going to

happen. She stayed at Belmont Park and we'll wait until things are just right

for her."

Pletcher will still be represented by multiple runners in both events. INDIAN

VALE (A.P. Indy), OCTAVE (Unbridled's Song) and UNBRIDLED BELLE (Broken Vow)

will take part in the Distaff, while HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) and WAIT A

WHILE (Maria's Mon) will carry the barn's hopes in the Filly & Mare Turf.

His Breeders' Cup team also comprises ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted Humor)

and LAWYER RON (Langfuhr) for the Classic (G1), ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike)

for the Turf (G1), ICY ATLANTIC (Stormy Atlantic) and HOST (Chi) (Hussonet) for

the Mile (G1), and THE LEOPARD (Storm Cat) for Friday's Juvenile Turf.

Pletcher was at Monmouth Park for Tuesday's post position draw. His Breeders'

Cup brigade left Belmont Park at 4 a.m. (EDT) that morning, and arrived without

incident at Monmouth, where they were able to take a turn on the track.

Pletcher said his horses, all of whom worked at Belmont Park on Sunday, would

jog the rest of the week.

"As a group, they are all doing well," he said. "Still, it is sort of like

last year where you come into the Breeders' Cup with horses that have had big

wins or big efforts in Grade 1 races. You wonder if you have given them enough

time."

Last year, at Churchill Downs, Pletcher entered a record 17 horses in the

Breeders' Cup. While he had a lucrative day, he did not get to the winner's

circle.

"That was the biggest disappointment of the day," Pletcher said. "You always

want to win."

This painting of four Classic contenders is listed on eBay, with proceeds going to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (Photo courtesy of NTRA)

Also on Tuesday, the NTRA announced that an original painting of four leading

contenders in the Classic -- Lawyer Ron, Any Given Saturday, CURLIN (Smart

Strike) and STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) -- will be auctioned off on eBay to

benefit the NTRA Charities - Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. The tonal

acrylic, by acclaimed artist Susan Sommer-Luarca, is entitled, Breeders' Cup

Classic - The Race for Horse of the Year.