Sassy Image out of Filly & Mare Sprint with ankle chip

Multiple Grade 1

winner Sassy Image has been taken out of consideration for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after a chip in a hind

ankle was discovered following her most recent work on October 8 at Churchill

Downs.

"She's a filly that has always moved

perfectly and the next morning (October 9) when we saw that she was a little off we

knew that something was wrong," said trainer Dale Romans, who conditions the

filly for his brother Jerry.

Sassy Image, a four-year-old daughter of Broken Vow, had been given some time

away from the track after tearing her left front quarter in a sixth-place finish

as the favorite in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at

Saratoga, a race in which she leapt at the break and then bolted on the final

turn. Her four-furlong breeze on October 8 was clocked in :48 3/5, the fifth fastest

of 38 at the distance over a fast Churchill Downs track.

"She appeared to come

out of it fine," Romans said.

The injury to Sassy Image is a major

disappointment for Romans, who was looking forward to running the filly in the

Filly & Mare Sprint over her favorite surface. Sassy Image has compiled a record

of 5-0-1 in six starts beneath the Twin Spires, including victories in the Grade

1

Humana Distaff, Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes, Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes and Grade

3 Pocahontas Stakes.

"This has made me sick," Romans said.

"You have to enjoy the high points in this game because there are going to be a

lot of disappointments."

The injury will knock Sassy Image out

of this year's Breeders' Cup; however, she will still be offered at the Fasig-Tipton

November Sale on November 6 as a racing/broodmare prospect.

"If the new owners

wanted to remove the chip then she could probably come back next year," Romans

said. She will be consigned by Romans Racing & Sales, as agent, and will sell as

Hip No. 17.

Horses in the Romans barn that are still on track for Breeders' Cup bids include

Shackleford, a Dirt Mile candidate who is scheduled to breeze for the first time Saturday

since a second-place performance in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby; Dullahan, winner of

the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, will also breeze Saturday

morning for the Juvenile or Juvenile Turf; Court Vision, who came out of his

October 15 work in good order and is on track for the Mile; and Me and My

Gals, a two-year-son of Sky Mesa who worked a bullet five furlongs Monday in

1:01 in preparation for the Juvenile Sprint.