Grade I winner Admiral Kitten is out of consideration for the Arlington Million (gr. I) Aug. 16 at Arlington International Racecourse, according to owner Ken Ramsey.
Second by a nose in the Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT) last time out and a winner in last year's Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at the International Festival of Racing, the son of Kitten's Joy had been expected to join stablemate Real Solution , the defending Million champion, in the gate for the 1 1/4-mile classic.
"I don't want to run them against each other," Ramsey explained. "In my humble opinion Real Solution is the better of the two and we want to put Admiral Kitten in a spot where he can win. We are sending him up to Canada to the Sky Classic (gr. IIT) at Woodbine.
The $200,000 Sky Classic, at 1 1/4 miles on grass, is also Aug. 16.
"I had originally intended to run them against each other (in the Million)," Ramsey said. "If I thought he could go the distance in the American St. Leger, I would run him there. But I don't think he can get it."
Besides his Secretariat win, Admiral Kitten had grade I seconds in the Jamaica Handicap and Hollywood Derby last year. He has one win in five starts this year, that coming in the Joh B. Connally Turf Cup (gr. IIIT) at Sam Houston Race Park in January.
Overall, the Mike Maker-trained bay colt has four wins and seven seconds from 15 lifetime starts and earnings of $784,714.
