Quarantine Keeps Summerly Out of Dogwood

(from Churchill Downs notes)
Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Summerly was a surprise no-show when entries were drawn on Thursday for Saturday's $150,000-added Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen was expected to enter Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's 3-year-old daughter of Summer Squall, although her status was in question because of the equine herpes virus quarantine that remains in place in Asmussen's barn.

Asmussen's stable is awaiting the results of a second round of blood tests on horses in his Churchill Downs stable to see if those horses – Summerly included – will be allowed to resume racing and to return to training with the general horse population.

Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said that Summerly is doing well, but the stable had elected to pass on entering the race given the uncertainty surrounding her status.

"Everything's great," said Blasi. "They took the tests on Tuesday and all the results aren't back until tomorrow and it's just pushing it to the limit with the quarantine. It's just not fair to her."

A field of nine 3-year-old fillies was entered in the 1 1/16-mile race.