Laurel River, Bran scratch from Breeders' Cup Saturday

Friday morning, veterinarians ordered two horses scratched from Saturday Breeders' Cup races. Laurel River was ruled out of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and Bran was taken out of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Laurel River was the third choice on the morning line for the Dirt Mile, at 9-2. The Bob Baffert trainee was riding a three-race win streak into the Breeders' Cup. Though his most recent win in the Pat O'Brien (G2) came at seven furlongs, the 4-year-old son of Into Mischief won his previous two races over one-mile trips in allowance company.

Bran, trained by John Sadler, was a 15-1 long shot on the morning line for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. He most recently won the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2) on Sept. 10. That race, and both his other wins in 2022, came at 6 1/2 furlongs, a furlong shorter than the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

The scratch of Bran from the Turf Sprint frees up a spot in the field of 14. Belmont Turf Sprint (G3) winner Dancing Buck would get first priority off the also-eligible list, though Joaquin Jaime of FanDuel TV has reported that he will scratch from the race. That puts Woodford (G2) second-place finisher Oceanic in in the field; a tweet Friday morning from trainer Jordan Blair states that he will run.

Only 11 horses entered the Dirt Mile, meaning no horse was waiting in the wings to claim a spot in light of Laurel River's scratch.