Connections Dismayed by Scratch of Givemethebeatboys

Connections of Givemethebeatboys  expressed shock and dismay Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park after being told their 2-year-old colt had been withdrawn from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) after examination by a panel of vets Friday morning. 

The sole representative of trainer Jessica Harrington at this year's Breeders' Cup, Givemethebeatboys was listed at 10-1 on the morning-line odds.

"I'm in horses all my life, I own a quarter of him," said Con Marnane, one of several members of Givemethebeatboys' ownership team consoling each other in the barn area after the withdrawal. "I've had him since he was a foal. I just cannot understand this."

Marnane and others witnessed the examination which led to the withdrawal, in which Kate Harrington led the horse at a trot over a series of rubber mats and then onto a sandy area.

"The horse was moving like a ballet dancer," Marnane said. "He should have been in Swan Lake."

Irene Sands, also part of the ownership team, said: "He's in incredible condition and we couldn't have asked for better. As owners, you can only ever ask that they come with their best foot forward and the Harringtons have done that.

"He has been minded like a baby all week. He was vetted all week and there was no issue. He (exercised) yesterday, we were all here to see and he was in great form. So this is a shock and very disappointing, there's no point pretending otherwise.

"Jessica Harrington said it very well, she said that, at the end of the day, vets aren't any different to any other profession, they all have different opinions. That's not taking anything from anybody but certainly our own contingent would have been very happy for him to race today."

Con Sands added: "We've come a long way and we have a beautiful horse. We worked him yesterday and he seemed pretty good, didn't seem to have any difficulties and then at eight o'clock this morning we got the bad news that he was 'slightly lame'. I suppose we just have to cry in our soup."

Scratches from Friday's Breeders' Cup races also included Juvenile Turf (G1T) candidate River Tiber  for trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was given a double blow when Bolshoi Ballet  was scratched from Saturday's Turf (G1T). River Tiber had been the 3-1 morning-line favorite while Bolshoi Ballet was listed at 15-1.

Ryan Moore had been due to ride River Tiber, but, with the scratch, is now scheduled to ride stablemate Unquestionable , who was originally due to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.