The Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) lost a major contender when trainer Todd Pletcher said that Elisabeth Alexander's Magna Graduate would miss the June 17 race after suffering an injury during a Sunday workout at Churchill Downs."Unfortunately he didn't come out of his last work very well and has got a little fracture in his right hind ankle," said Pletcher. "We're going to have to give him some time off."Pletcher said that the 4-year-old son of Honor Grades, winner of the 2005 Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs and fourth in his most recent outing in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (gr. I), would not require surgery on the injured ankle.
The colt takes a career record of 6-3-3 in 17 races and earnings of $1,477,002 to the sidelines.Although Magna Graduate will miss the Stephen Foster, Pletcher expects his powerhouse stable to be represented in the 1 1/8-mile race."Right now Harlington, Master Command and West Virginia are all possibilities," he said. "We'll definitely run something there. I just haven't pinpointed which one."