Connections of Strong Suit, Sea Moon and Elusive Kate were left unhappy when track officials at Churchill Downs refused to let them use the turf course for trackwork on Thursday.
Heavy rain had set in by the time the trio, trained by Richard Hannon, Sir Michael Stoute and John Gosden respectively, were due to go on to the turf track.
Hannon’s son Richard, Stoute and Gosden all waited patiently on the dirt track for more than 20 minutes in expectation of the go-ahead to switch surfaces.
However, they were eventually told that owing to the level of rainfall they would not be permitted to go on to the grass.
As they made their way back to the stables, Hannon Jnr said of Mile contender Strong Suit: “We had arranged to work Strong Suit around two bends on the turf course and this was our one and only chance to do it before the big day.
“They have had a millimetre of rain and they said because of that, we can’t work our horses. It would only involve three horses working round the outside of the track – where is the harm in that?
“They have ruined our chance of winning and I doubt we will be coming back here in a hurry.
“When they (American horses) come over to us at places like Ascot, they get their expenses and every facility provided. Why should we have to put up with this sort of treatment?”
PA AAP TURF
