Summer Bird Hurt; Out of Japan Cup Dirt

Summer Bird, winner of the grade I Belmont Stakes, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, was withdrawn from the Dec. 6 Japan Cup Dirt after suffering an injury in a workout. at Hanshin Race Course.

According to owner Dr. K.K. Jayaraman, the son of Birdstone   came back from his work Nov. 29 showing signs of lameness.

“Tim (trainer Ice) called me and told me what happened and that X-rays had revealed a small chip in the right carpal fetlock joint,” Jayaraman said. “It’s only the size of a pea, but he’s obviously out of the race.

“We will bring him back home in a couple of days and send him to one of the farms in Lexington, Ky. where we board our horses. After we find out more, we will make a decision whether we remove the chip and try to bring him back or retire him.”

Summer Bird’s most recent effort was a solid fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), in which he was beaten three lengths by Zenyatta.