Fabulous Strike is out of the Sprint due to illness (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Vosburgh S. (G1) hero FABULOUS STRIKE (Smart Strike) will be forced to skip the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on October 27 at Monmouth Park due to a lung infection, trainer Todd Beattie announced Thursday.

"A few days after returning from New York (on October 2) he developed a fever and wasn't eating up his feed, and as it progressed we learned that it was a lung infection," the conditioner explained. "He has not responded well to the medication, and we just don't have enough time to get ready. Last night, (owner) Walter (Downey) and I came to a decision to pass on the race. It's a tough decision but it's the right one."

Fabulous Strike threw his hat in the Sprint ring with a dominating 5 3/4-length win in the Vosburgh on September 30, earning an automatic spot in the starting gate through the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. He began a four-race win skein last November, taking the Sophomore Sprint Championship S. and Christmas S., before taking a four-month break and returning to add the Panhandle H. and Aristides Breeders' Cup S. (G3) to his record. His streak was broken when he finished fifth in the Smile Sprint H. (G2) at Calder, but the four-year-old gelding quickly rebounded to take the Vosburgh in his last one.

Beattie indicated that any decisions regarding Fabulous Strike's returning to training this year would be made after his charge's lung infection has cleared.