October 20 - Injury-forced retirements seem to be plaguing the American horseracing industry of late - first Big Brown last week with a badly injured foot and this week 4-times stakes winner Red Giant, who contracted a fever. Both horses were entered in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Red Giant who was expected to run in the $3 million 2008 Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Race Track this Saturday was scratched from the prestigious race after he contracted a whopping 103 temperature. With six days before the big race in California, his trainer Todd Pletcher decided to end the colt's career.

'On Sunday morning we discovered that Red Giant had developed an extremely high temperature and while he's been responding well to treatment, we felt there was just not enough time to prepare him for a race as grueling as the Breeders' Cup Turf. As such we felt it was time to hang up his saddle, said Pletcher.

This will obviously come as sad news for Red Giant's many fans who were looking forward to watching him thundering down Santa Anita's 1 1/2 mile turf course this weekend. However, at least the four-year-old had a pretty good run of it with 6 wins from 12 starts and just over $1-million in accrued winnings.

The Giant's Causeway colt will particularly remembered for his great season this year after he recorded two impressive victories from two starts - the first in the Fourstardave Handicap (Gr 2) in August at Saratoga and the second in the Clement Hirsch Turf Championship (Gr 1) in September at Santa Anita.

Said Pletcher, 'While I can't remember him being sick a day in his life, at least he went out on a high note. He ran some magnificent races and he'll be remembered for his win in the Virgnia Derby (Gr 1) at Colonial Downs as much as for his gutsy second place in the Secretariat Stakes (Gr1) at Arlington Park.'

With Red Giant out of the Breeders' Cup Turf, that leaves a field of 11 that is expected to set off come Saturday. These include Spring House, Out of Control, Dancing Forever, Winchester, Better Talk Now, Red Rock Canyon, Conduit, Soldier of Fortune, Grand Couturier, Red Rocks and Eagle Mountain, who will be SA trainer Mike de Kock's first Breeders Cup runner.

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Excitement Building for Breeders Cup Classic 08 - 10-21-08

Samantha Miss To Hit In The 2008 Cox Plate - 10-20-08

2008 Melbourne Cup Runner Profound Beauty Injured - 10-19-08

Bumper Fields Expected at 2008 Breeders Cup - 10-18-08

New Approach Going for Third Gr 1 Victory Today - 10-18-08

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2012/04/02 06:43:39 AM