Report: Mandaloun will miss 6 weeks with sore foot

Mandaloun, who could yet be promoted to victory in the Kentucky Derby, has foot trouble and will be sidelined at least the rest of this summer, a report said Monday.

General manager Garrett O’Rourke of Juddmonte USA, which bred and owns Mandaloun, told the Daily Racing Form the 3-year-old colt will get six weeks off because of a sore right hind foot. He added that X-rays came back negative after Mandaloun was examined at Saratoga.

While races this fall are in doubt, O’Rourke was quoted as saying Juddmonte would aim Mandaloun for the Feb. 14 running of the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1). Juddmonte and the race are owned and operated by the Saudi royal family.

Sired by Into Mischief and trained by Brad Cox, Mandaloun was promoted to victory last month in the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. He actually finished a nose behind Hot Rod Charlie, who was disqualified for interference.

Afterward, Cox had said he would run Mandaloun back in either the Travers (G1) on Aug. 28 at Saratoga or the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 25 at Parx.

After finishing second in the May 1 renewal of the Kentucky Derby, Mandaloun seemed poised for promotion to victory after trainer Bob Baffert admitted May 9 that Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone. But the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which is being sued by Medina Spirit’s connections, has yet to revise the results.

Now uncertain to race Nov. 6 at Del Mar, Mandaloun had odds of 12-1 to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, according to futures posted last month by Bovada. His stablemate Essential Quality was the 4-1 favorite before the market was suspended for the running of recent qualifying races.