Adam Staple and Jalin Stable's Page McKenney, the likely favorite for the $300,000 Pimlico Special (gr. III) May 20, was scratched the morning of the race by trainer Mary Eppler for what she described as a filling in a tendon in his left foreleg.
Eppler said ultrasound imaging on the 6-year-old gelded son of Eavesdropper found no major damage.
"He could have run," Eppler said, "but I wasn't going to risk anything after all he has done."
Page McKenney, a $16,000 claim by Eppler in 2013, has earned more than $1.4 million in his career. His defection from the Special follows that of morning-line favorite Stanford May 19. Stanford and Page McKenney ran first and second, respectively, April 23 in the Charles Town Classic (gr. II).
LAMARRA: Stanford Gate to Wire in Charles Town Classic
Eppler will run Staple's Golden Glint in the Special. The 7-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding was claimed for $32,000 March 13 and returned to win an allowance/optional claiming race April 29 at Laurel Park.
