Sir Winston '50-50' to Run in Jazil Due to Tender Hoof

Trainer Mark Casse says Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Sir Winston is only "50-50" to make his scheduled start in the $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Jan. 25 because of a tender hoof.

Sir Winston put in a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.86 on the Belmont Park training track Jan. 16, but afterward a problem was detected that has clouded his status for the Jazil.

"Sir Winston was doing good and worked extremely well, but the problem was that he pulled his shoe off and then he stepped on it when it was half off," Casse said. "His foot's been tender. Right now he's only 50-50 to run (in the Jazil). We'll have to see how it responds in the next day or two. If not, we'll stay up there and run in the next one.

"We'll probably enter him. We've dealt with this stuff many times before with good horses. It's just a matter of how his foot responds."

Entries for the Jazil, a 1 1/8-mile stakes, will be taken Jan. 20.

If Sir Winston is unable to run in the Jazil, the best stakes options after that at Aqueduct would be the one-mile Stymie Stakes March 7 or the 1 1/8-mile Excelsior Stakes (G3) April 4. There is also the Bernardini Stakes at 1 5/16 miles Feb. 29.

Sir Winston has raced only once since winning the June 8 Belmont Stakes and finished 12th and last while running on turf in the Dec. 28 Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Owned and bred by Tracy Farmer, the son of Awesome Again out of the Afleet Alex  mare La Gran Bailadora has won three of 11 starts and earned $961,773. He was second in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in his start before the Belmont Stakes.