Hit the Road is scratched from the Breeders' Cup Mile

Hit the Road, winner of two graded stakes this year, has a fever and will not start in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

"Unbelievably bad timing and bad luck," trainer Dan Blacker said in a Twitter post. "We will get him healthy, regroup and point for the next race."

Hit the Road was 15-1 on the morning line and was to be ridden by John Velazquez. His withdrawal clears the way for Irish import Real Appeal to join the oversubscribed field.

Four-year-old Hit the Road, by More than Ready out of Highway Mary, has a record of 5: 2-0-0 this year. His wins this year came in the Thunder Road (G3) and the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1), where he finished a neck ahead of Smooth Like Strait.

Real Appeal had morning-line odds of 15-1. Trained by Jessica Harrington, he has a record of 5: 3-0-2 this year, with all of his races in Europe. The 4-year-old gelding has graded-stakes wins in the Group 3 Ballycorus and the Boomerang Mile (G2). He will be ridden by Shane Foley.