The Cliff's Edge, will miss the Preakness Stakes due to a foot abscess.
Robert LaPenta's The Cliff's Edge has been scratched from Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I). The official word came from trainer Nick Zito Friday morning on the backside at Pimlico Racecourse.The Cliff's Edge threw both front shoes during the running of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on May 1. He still managed to finish fifth in the race. While at Pimlico, the son of Gulch has been suffering from an abscess in his right front foot. While his status was up in the air, Zito opted to enter him in the race."The horse looked like he was improving yesterday," Zito said. "He was back to his normal self. This morning that wasn't the case."Zito said he had the shoes pulled from The Cliff's Edge this morning, knowing he wouldn't make the race. "We'll see what happens over the next couple of days," he said.The Cliff's Edge had drawn post 4 for the Preakness and was 6-1 on the morning line.The Cliff's Edge, out of the Danzig mare Zigember, has 4-2-1 slate from nine career starts. The winner of this year's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) has earned $835,528. Bred in Kentucky by Stonerside Stable, The Cliff's Edge was purchased by LaPenta for $200,000 out of the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2002.
