Tale of This Cat Might Not Get Told

Tale Of The Cat, who might have been the second choice, behind Richter Scale, in Saturday’s $1-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Hollywood Park, is not expected to run.

Trainer John Forbes said Tuesday that Tale Of The Cat didn’t travel well from New Jersey, hasn’t enjoyed the unseasonably high temperatures in Los Angeles and has been stiff during morning exercises.

Tale Of The Cat’s next race may be the $250,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in New York on Nov. 29.

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Dance Design, who finished seventh Sunday in the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes after having been almost knocked down by another horse, has recovered and will run in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf.

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Singspiel, the Turf favorite, missed a gallop at Hollywood Park because of a pulsation in his left foreleg.

Ladbrokes, the English betting concern, reacted to the news, moving Singspiel’s price from even money to 5-4.

Singspiel, who has earned almost $6 million, finished second to his stablemate, Pilsudski, in last year’s Turf.

“It’s just a little problem,” said Singspiel’s trainer, Michael Stoute. “It’s something he can live with.”

Singspiel is expected to resume morning gallops today. He will run with Lasix, the diuretic that discourages bleeding. In Europe, race-day medications are not allowed, but Singspiel ran with Lasix in last year’s Breeders’ Cup in Canada.

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Two screws were surgically inserted to fuse the break in Formal Gold’s right hind leg Saturday.

Veterinarian Wayne McIlwraith, who did the operation at a facility in Cypress, said the horse should be able to run again next year.

Formal Gold, who would have been favored in the $4-million Classic, was injured during a gallop at Hollywood Park on Thursday.

Horse Racing Notes

After working five furlongs in 59 2/5, Down The Aisle was found to have fractured the coffin bone on his left foreleg and has been eliminated from the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The injury is not career-ending. . . . Cash Asmussen, who will ride favored Spinning World in the $1-million Mile, escaped injury Tuesday when a horse he was riding in France broke down. The horse was destroyed. . . . Exotic Wood, a late addition to the Sprint, worked three furlongs at Santa Anita in 34 2/5 seconds. . . . The forecast for Saturday is mostly sunny with temperatures in the 70s.