Report: Slow Down Andy will miss Breeders' Cup Classic

Slow Down Andy, the gate-to-wire winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again on Saturday, will miss the Breeders' Cup Classic because of an ankle injury.

Trainer Doug O'Neill told Daily Racing Form that the 4-year-old Nyquist colt came out of the Awesome Again "with a little bit of filling in the ankle."

He said Slow Down Andy was sound on the ankle and the X-ray was clean.

The Reddam Racing homebred is expected to recover fully after 60 days at Ocean Breeze Ranch in California, O'Neill said, and to return next season.

"We're all bummed," O'Neill told DRF.

The Awesome Again, a win-and-you're-in for the Classic, was Slow Down Andy's only win in four starts this year. Before that, he was third in the Pacific Classic (G1), second in the San Diego Handicap (G2) and sixth in the Metropolitan Handicap.

For his career, he has a record of 14: 5-4-3 and earnings of $1,276,600.