BC Juvenile favorite to be scratched

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - American Pharoah, the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, has been scratched from the race.

The withdrawal will leave the $2 million race for 2-year-olds with 12 starters.

"He has a deep foot bruise in his left front," trainer Bob Baffert said. "We'll still be putting him through some scans and other things. We're hopeful he'll be all right and you'll see him in the spring. If you look at him he appears just fine. The timing is just terrible. I've had to scratch horses before a big race, but this is possibly the worst.

"He feels really good. He walks OK, but when he jogs you can see there is something there. Something like this gives you a sickening feeling. It's a disappointment for the barn and the Zayat family, and anyone around the horse."

Owned by Zayat Stable, American Pharoah won the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes. The colt has earned $361,500 from three starts and two wins.