KING CONGIE (Badge of Silver), the 4-1 second choice on the morning-line for
Saturday’s Spiral S. (G3) at Turfway Park, has been scratched from the race.
Terry Finley, president of owner West Point Thoroughbreds, said the colt
strained a hind muscle during a gallop at Turfway Friday morning.
“He didn’t cool out well,” Finley explained. “He’s about 90 percent, but not
100 percent. We plan to come back in the Blue Grass (G1) or Lexington (G3).”
Those two races are scheduled for April 16 and April 23, respectively, at
Keeneland. The Blue Grass will take place at 1 1/8 miles while the Lexington is
run at 1 1/16 miles.
“He still seems a little off in that left hind but he is much improved this
morning,” trainer Tom Albertrani said Saturday, “so he must have just tweaked
something. But we decided to scratch to be cautious.”
The dark bay colt has finished first in his past three races, all on turf,
but was disqualified in the Hallandale Beach S. most recently after interfering
down the stretch with Brilliant Speed (Dynaformer), who ran third another neck
back. Ironically, both King Congie and Brilliant Speed are trained by
Albertrani.
King Congie made his three-year-old bow a half-length victory in the Tropical
Park Derby on New Year’s Day at Calder, and would have been trying the synthetic
Polytrack for the first time in the Spiral. His career record currently reads
5-2-0-1, $99,290.
The Spiral field is now left with 11 runners, topped by 3-1 morning-line
favorite Positive Response (Pomeroy), who captured the John Battaglia Memorial
over the track by seven lengths last out. The Bill Morey pupil was third in the
El Camino Real Derby (G3) and won the California Derby in his two races prior to
the Battaglia.
BIRDIE BEATS PAR (Aragorn [Ire]), slated to run in the Hansel S. on the
Spiral undercard, was also scratched Saturday morning. The sprinter had drawn
the 12 post and trainer Tom Amoss decided to scratch and aim for a race at
Keeneland.