(Reuters) – A horse that was scheduled to run in this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup in Arcadia, California, died on Tuesday while Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo has dropped out of the $6 million Classic due to an issue with his left hind foot.
Practical Move, who was the second choice for Saturday’s $1 million Dirt Mile was returning from his gallop at Santa Anita Park when he suffered what is suspected to be a cardiac event, Breeders’ Cup officials said in a statement.
According to race officials, Practical Move’s rider was uninjured and the 3-year-old colt was immediately tended to by veterinarians from the California Horse Racing Board, 1/ST Racing, and Breeders’ Cup.
Practical Move was among the top contenders going into this year’s Kentucky Derby following three consecutive victories but was scratched on the eve of the May 6 race because of an elevated temperature.
Practical Move had returned to action in early October at Santa Anita where he romped to a four-length victory.
Arcangelo, who was made the second choice at 7-2 and drew the inside post for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, had been dealing with a hind hoof issue since losing a shoe over the weekend.
“He’s not fully resolving and we’re running out of time,” Arcangelo trainer Jena Antonucci said. “And as we’ve talked about from day one, this will always be horse first, no matter what.
“We need to do right by him and missing a race is going to be what it’s going to be this time.”
Arcangelo, with jockey Javier Castellano aboard, won the Belmont Stakes in June, which made Antonucci the first female trainer to win one of U.S. thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown races.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
