Artie Schiller, a leading contender for the NetJets Breeders' Cup MIle (gr. IT), will not be making the trip to Woodbine to contest Sunday's $1 million Atto Mile (Can-I)."The horse is fine, but we've decided to stay here (Belmont Park in New York) and run in the Kelso (Oct. 2) instead," said trainer James Jerkens on Wednesday afternoon. "He's been a little difficult to ship this year for some reason. He hasn't shipped around very well and I kind of got a little leery of it. So we just thought we'd keep him home, run in the Kelso and hope he runs big."The 4-year-old son of El Prado has earned $880,053 in his career, winning nine of 17 starts, including six stakes. Most recently, he won the Bernard Baruch (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Aug. 1.
Artie Schiller would have been the second choice in the morning line for the Atto, behind the Bobby Frankel-trained Leroidesanimaux, who will be ridden by John Velazquez.
The two top-ranked milers in North America may still meet at Belmont Park Oct. 29 in the Breeders' Cup Mile.Probables for the 2005 Atto Mile, with jockey: A to the Z (Todd Kabel), (Robert Landry), King of Happiness (Patrick Valenzuela), Le Cinquieme Essai (Steven Bahen), Leroidesanimaux (John Velazquez), Mobil (Patrick Husbands), Royal Regalia (Jono Jones), Sophia's Prince (Simon Husbands) and Vanderlin (Martin Dwyer)