Report: Ankle injury sidelines leading 2-year-old Rhyme Schemes

Rhyme Schemes, who won the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 12, injured his ankle and will miss the rest of the year.

Norm Casse, who trains Rhyme Schemes, told David Grening of Daily Racing Form that Rhyme Schemes had a "minor front right ankle injury that's going to force us to miss the rest of the year." Grening also reported that Casse plans to return Rhyme Scheme to training at Fair Grounds.

On debut May 18 at Ellis, Rhyme Schemes weakened to sixth, nine lengths behind Wilson Q. He stepped forward June 15 to win a maiden special weight at Ellis by 9 1/2 lengths, impressively enough to go off a heavy favorite in the Saratoga Special on Aug. 12. He ran to the money that day, winning by the same gaping margin.

Rhyme Schemes is a 2-year-old son of Ghostzapper out of the Distorted Humor mare Katherine. His second dam Eileen's Dream is a Bernardini half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Dream Rush, the dam of Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia and the granddam of champion Malathaat. He is owned by Deuce Greathouse's Pura Vida Investments, who bought her for $210,000 at Keeneland September as a yearling.