Mother Goose field down to three
By The Editors

Published on June 27, 2009 | Racing

From the NYRA press office:

The field for today’s 53rd edition of the Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes was reduced to three Saturday morning with the scratches of Don’t Forget Gil and Hopeful Image, leaving Preakness heroine Rachel Alexandra to face only Flashing and Malibu Prayer.

Alan Brodsky’s Don’t Forget Gil was scratched due to an elevated temperature, according to trainer Mark Hennig, while Hopeful Image had not recuperated sufficiently from a mild case of colic she suffered Wednesday evening, said trainer Gerald Procino.

“We did everything we could to keep her in the race, but yesterday, she spiked a temperature and we had no choice but to give her antibiotics,” said Procino, who co-owns the filly with Linda Sullivan and Joseph McMahon. “She’ll be fine, but the veterinarian advised that we scratch.”

With three betting interests, there will be win betting only on the race, with no exacta or trifecta wagering. Multi-race wagering is not affected.

How disappointing.

The two remaining starters against Rachel Alexandra are Nassau County winner Flashing, and Malibu Prayer, a Todd Pletcher trainee coming off an allowance win at Philadelphia Park.