Untapable Out of BC Distaff

Defending Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner Untapable was withdrawn from the Oct. 30 Distaff (gr. I) at Keeneland the morning of Oct. 27 after spiking a temperature following an Oct. 26 breeze at the Lexington track.

The 4-year-old Tapit   filly was coming into the Distaff after being defeated in the shadow of the wire by Got Lucky in Keeneland's Oct. 4 Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I). 

"Unfortunately, she won't run," said Ron Winchell, who campaigns the Eclipse Award winner under the banner of his family's Winchell Thoroughbreds. "She's got a slight temperature; she scoped with a little bit of mucus after working the other day. We were hoping for the best but unfortunately it's the right thing to do; we'll have to treat her with some antibiotics, so that pretty much declares her out of the race.

Added racing manager David Fiske, "Everyone had a panicked reaction, but then we thought that maybe we could fix it and she would eat up well. Her blood-work from Monday morning came back good, but she didn't eat up last night and this morning and this morning she had a low-grade temperature. At that point, it's game-over and start treating her with antibiotics."

"Disappointment is an understatement," Winchell said. "We've been gearing up for the Breeders' Cup since the beginning of the year. We've trained her on the lighter side to get her here in peak form."

SHULMAN: Untapable Seeks Return to Form

Untapable has won just once this year, the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I), in six races. She won six of seven a year ago. But she has been competitive in each race, never finishing worse than third this season. 

Winchell said he was leaning toward bringing Untapable back next year for a 5-year-old campaign.

"I haven't made my mind up but I think I'm  leaning torwad running her next year. Especially after having to scratch her out of this race, it kind of makes me want to come back and attempt one more."

"I think everyone is leaning toward running her next year," Fiske said. "She's been unusually sound and healthy for the better part of three seasons and this is the first time I can remember her being sick. Given that, there's a lot of support to run her next year, but you never know. The landscape changes from day to day. Hopefully this is not anything serious. At the moment, no decision has been made."