Breeders’ Cup Favorite Fastness Forced to Quit

Fastness, arguably the best turf horse in the nation and the probable favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, has been retired.

An injury to the right front tendon of the 6-year-old son of Rousillon was discovered Sunday morning by trainer Jenine Sahadi.

“He galloped [Saturday morning] and he went very easily,” Sahadi said. “We took off his bandages [Sunday] and we saw some filling in the tendon. It was scanned and there was some slight damage to the tendon.

“I’m in shock. I can’t believe it. He was the favorite for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Fastness, who had worked an easy-half mile in 50 3/5 on Thursday morning, wasn’t scheduled to run again until the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 26 at Woodbine.

For his career, Fastness finished with nine victories in 24 starts and earnings of $1,580,810.

Plans regarding his stud career haven’t been finalized, but there have been discussions with Gainesway Farm.

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In a race weakened by the Saturday scratch of Exotic Wood, Different scored for the eighth time in nine starts in winning the $303,200 Chula Vista Handicap. Different beat Top Rung by nearly two lengths in 1:42 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles. The 7-10 favorite also gave owners Sid and Jenny Craig their third Chula Vista victory in five years.

Horse Racing Notes

Caribbean Pirate is the 7-2 morning-line choice in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby today. Eleven other 3-year-olds are scheduled to go in the 1 1/8-mile grass race. . . . Don’t Blame Rio, who was second in the ninth race at Hollywood Park on June 8, 1996, was disqualified from all purse monies after he tested positive for caffeine, a prohibited Class II drug. He is trained by Doug Peterson.