Azeri May Not Run in Breeders’ Cup

Azeri, the reigning horse of the year, may not defend her title in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

Concerned by the Jade Hunter filly’s reluctance to work last Friday morning at San Luis Rey -- she eventually did and went six furlongs in a rapid 1:10.20 -- trainer Laura de Seroux is scheduled to discuss Azeri’s future with owner Michael Paulson. Paulson has been unavailable because he’s been on a cruise.

“I love this mare, and if something happened to her after I ignored these signs, I’d never forgive myself,” De Seroux said. “She’s a very, very valuable horse and I don’t want to make a mistake. It’s the Breeders’ Cup but I’d rather stop on her one race too soon than one race too late.

“We had to pull, prod and cajole her to get started and she usually trains with joy. She’s been known to pose when she goes to the track, a la John Henry, but this was nothing like that. This time, she was very reluctant to do anything. She kept saying, ‘I don’t think so.’ ”

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Funny Cide, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner who will be a longshot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, had his final serious work for the Grade I on Sunday at Belmont Park.

Working over the training track, the 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor went six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 under exercise rider and assistant trainer Robin Smullen. “It was perfect,” she said. “Fast is not always better, and on that track, I believe it was a pretty good work.”

Unraced since he finished a distant third in the Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, Funny Cide will be ridden by Julie Krone in the Classic.

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Congaree, who has been bothered by a quarter crack in his left hind foot, worked a swift six furlongs in 1:11.20 for trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita.

Pre-entered in both the Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Congaree, who is owned by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, will run in the $4-million Classic or not at all, Baffert said.

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Trainer Bobby Frankel was busy with several of his Breeders’ Cup entrants Sunday morning at Hollywood Park.

Medaglia d’Oro, who could be favored in the Classic, went six furlongs in 1:12.20, Sightseek, the likely favorite in the Distaff, drilled five-eighths of a mile in 59 1/5; Heat Haze, a contender in the Filly and Mare Turf, went five furlongs in 1:01.60 and Tates Creek, another Filly and Mare Turf participant, went the same distance in 1:01.20.

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The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, already weakened by the absence of Eurosilver, Birdstone, Ruler’s Court and Silver Wagon, has lost three horses who were pre-entered.

Cactus Ridge, undefeated in four starts, is out with a knee injury and trainer Aidan O’Brien, who is running five horses in other Breeders’ Cup races, left his 2-year-old colts, Grand Reward and Old Deuteronomy, at home in Ireland.

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Clock Stopper, who would have been allowed to run in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint had one of the horses in the field been scratched, has been declared out for the rest of 2003 because of a minor injury to his left front ankle, according to trainer Dallas Stewart.

Staff writer Bill Christine contributed to this report.