Roman Ruler will skip Gold Cup for Goodwood

Roman Ruler will take on his elders for the first time when contesting the Goodwood (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

In a last-minute change of plans, trainer Bob Baffert has decided to keep
Haskell Invitational (G1) winner ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus) in California to
run in Saturday’s $500,000 Goodwood Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) instead of shipping to
Belmont for the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). The sophomore colt had
been scheduled to travel to New York on Thursday.

“I feel better running here,” Baffert explained after Roman Ruler breezed
four furlongs in :48 1/5 over Santa Anita’s fast track on Wednesday. “He went
real nice, he’s doing good, I wasn’t thrilled about the mile and a quarter (of
the Gold Cup) and I wasn’t crazy about shipping. It’s a small field here, plus
the weather’s been bad on the East Coast. A lot of horses have been floundering
on the track back there.”

Third in the Travers S. (G1) last out, Roman Ruler will attempt to
become the first three-year-old to win the Goodwood since Tiznow, who parlayed a
Goodwood victory into a Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) triumph in 2000.

David Flores
has picked up the mount from Jerry Bailey, who was scheduled to ride Roman Ruler
in the Jockey Club and will remain at Belmont on Saturday.

Probables for the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood include ROCK HARD TEN (Kris S.),
CHOCTAW NATION (Louis Quatorze), TOTAL IMPACT (Chi) (Stuka) and
GOTAGHOSTOFACHANCE (Silver Ghost).