Alysweep pulls out of Preakness after irregular blood test
By Compiled from Times wires
Published May 14, 2003
BALTIMORE - Alysweep was removed from the Preakness field Tuesday after tests showed an irregular blood count after a workout in New York.
The withdrawal dropped the field to 11 horses, but trainer Bob Baffert is considering bringing a second horse, Senor Swinger. Baffert was unsure whether to enter During in the Preakness or the Sir Barton Stakes, which also will be Saturday at Pimlico.
"I just don't know about During yet," Baffert said. "I'm still looking at what riders I could get, and other factors. This could truly be a last-minute decision."
Baffert has won the Preakness four times, including the past two with Point Given and War Emblem.
Alysweep, winner of the Gotham at Aqueduct in March, covered five furlongs in 1:01 Tuesday. But trainer Patrick Reynolds said the horse was out of the Preakness after a test showed an improper balance of red and white blood cells.
Such readings are usually taken when a horse appears sluggish. If the red and white blood cells are not within a certain range, it could mean a virus is coming or a horse simply is not 100 percent healthy.
Meanwhile, New York Hero entered the race after a solid workout Tuesday at Belmont.
FUNNY CIDE WORKS OUT: Planning for the race was all Funny Cide trainer Barclay Tagg wanted to think about.
The weekend furor over jockey Jose Santos, cleared Monday of any wrongdoing in his Kentucky Derby-winning ride, had dwindled to what Tagg called "that idiocy" as he prepared the gelding for the second leg of racing's Triple Crown.
With Tagg watching from atop his own pony and Santos looking on from the grandstand at Belmont Park, Funny Cide worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds, the fastest time of the day, under exercise rider Robin Smullen.
Tagg and Santos were delighted with what they saw.
"He worked a little fast, but all good horses work fast," Santos said. "He went by me real fast. He had a good work before the Derby, too."
On the Tuesday before the May 3 Derby, Funny Cide worked five furlongs in 58 2/5 at Belmont.
"If things go right, I think he can win the race," Tagg said.
By Tuesday morning the firestorm of publicity had died down and Smullen said "It hasn't affected us - not even worthy of conversation."
Santos will travel to Baltimore on Thursday, and he said he's more determined then ever to win because of the bad publicity he received.
"I have to win it to show the public that everything we were doing was fair and square," he said.
While horses begin arriving at Pimlico for the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness today, Tagg isn't likely to arrive with Funny Cide until the morning of the race. He has arrived the day of the race so often for lesser races in his 30-plus years as a trainer, why change for the big ones?
"If I thought it would help, I'd go in January," Tagg said.
HARNESS RACING: A driver was charged with hitting another driver with his helmet in a dispute after a race, authorities in Freehold Township, N.J., said. Hall of Fame driver Mike Lachance needed 15 stitches to close a head wound after the confrontation in the paddock Saturday after the second race at Freehold Raceway. Anthony Nunziata was charged with aggravated assault and released after posting $1,000 bail.
