BREEDERS’ CUP : Notebook : Lukas Says Roo Art Out With Injury

Roo Art, one of trainer Wayne Lukas’ eight entries in the Breeders’ Cup, has been withdrawn from the $3-million Classic because he is suffering from an inflamed right front tendon.

“Roo Art’s out,” Lukas said Tuesday morning. “We galloped him through the stretch yesterday and he cooled out fine, but when we had him back in the stall it (the ankle) started to swell a little.

“It looks pretty good this morning, and we could probably make a case for running him, but it’s not in the best interests of the horse. When you’re training, the bottom line is do what’s best for the horse.”

The injury is not believed to be career-threatening, but it will keep Roo Art, who has won 10 of 27 starts and $1,011,723 for owner Barbara Holleran, out for at least the rest of this year.

“If we stop (running him) now, there’s a chance that he could come back, maybe even 100%,” Lukas said. “But if he runs in a race of that (the Classic’s) caliber, he’s sure as hell going to pull it (the tendon) and tear it up.”

The withdrawal of the colt has cost jockey Randy Romero the second of his seven Breeders’ Cup rides. Earlier, he lost Personal Ensign when Ogden Phipps’ unbeaten filly was pulled out of the Juvenile Fillies after being injured during training in New York.

Briefly

Fred W. Hooper’s Precisionist gave trainer Ross Fenstermaker the work he was looking for Tuesday, going five furlongs in :59 2/5, breezing. Fenstermaker had not wanted the Classic’s probable favorite to work too fast, and his time under exercise rider Paul Nilluang suited the trainer fine. . . . Jockey Eddie Delahoussaye will replace the injured Chris McCarron aboard Magnificent Lindy in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, according to trainer Neil Drysdale. . . . Groovy, favored in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, worked three furlongs in a sizzling :32 4/5 Tuesday morning.