Criminal Type Will Miss Rest of the Year

Criminal Type, a leading contender for Horse of the Year, will not race again this year because of a leg problem.

“The feeling is that he would not be 100% for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders’ Cup, therefore we did not want to take a chance and run the horse,” trainer Jeff Lukas said today at Belmont Park.

The 5-year-old was to have run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday at Belmont and the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 27, also at Belmont.

“After a workout at five furlongs Monday, Criminal Type showed a tenderness in cooling at the barn,” said Lukas, an assistant to his father, D. Wayne Lukas.

He said he conferred with his father and John T. Lundy, president of Calumet Farm about Criminal Type, and that “X-rays were taken of his left front and they showed some wear and tear from his campaign.”

Criminal Type will be sent to Calumet Farm at Lexington, Ky., for rest and might return to the races next year, according to Lukas.

After winning three of 13 starts, Criminal Type emerged as a top horse this year, with seven wins and two seconds in 11 starts and earnings of $2,270,290.

Before finishing sixth in the Woodward Handicap on Sept. 15 at Belmont, the son of Alydar had won five straight Grade I stakes and beat the likes of Sunday Silence, Easy Goer and Housebuster.