Wednesday, August 06, 2008

MIXED UP OUT OF SMITHWICK

Hall of Fame rainer Jonathan Sheppard indicated that he would scratch Mixed Up from Thursday¹s $80,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course. The morning-line favorite at 3-1, Mixed Up developed a leg injury after a workout Monday on the Oklahoma training track¹s turf course.

“It¹s been sort of a nagging problem,² said Sheppard of the high suspensory ligament. “When he had that fast work (5 furlongs in 1:00 2/5) the other day it flared up again. We had it scanned and they said `if you like this horse you probably shouldn¹t run.’ Well, we like him so we¹ll give him some time.”


Sheppard said Mixed Up, a dual Grade I winner of more than $450,000 over jumps and last year’s Smithwick winner, will miss the rest of 2008 but could return for his 10-year-old season in 2009. Bred by Sheppard and owner Bill Pape, the son of Carnivalay has won 14 races (six flat, eight jump) and earned $563,766 in his career.

At Saratoga, he won the 2007 Smithwick and 2006 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. I).

Mixed Up¹s defection leaves a field of nine for the Smithwick, Thursday¹s first race at Saratoga Race Course.

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