Crowned Dancer Knocked Out of Del Mar Futurity

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(From track report)
The $250,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) lost one of its prime prospects Saturday when trainer Christopher Paasch announced that Crowned Dancer, the winner of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, is sick with a virus and will not make the race on the final day of the meeting, September 11.

"Crowned Dancer is out of the Futurity," Paasch said, "because he has this virus that's been going around."

A number of leading Southern California 2-year-olds, including most of the juveniles from the Godolphin Stable being kept at Del Mar, have been hit by the virus, which leaves a lingering cough after an initial fever.

Paasch said the colt earlier had been troubled by a wrenched right front leg that occurred, the trainer believes, during the van trip to Del Mar for the season opening.

When the son of Tactical Advantage developed symptoms consistent with the virus, Paasch decided to give the colt time to heal.

"He had four races in about three months," Paasch said, "and we're just going to back off for awhile and bring him back for the Santa Anita meet. When Oak Tree starts, he'll go back into training."

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