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Cathryn Sophia won't race at Breeders', will be sold

THE CATHRYN SOPHIA run began last October at Parx Racing. It likely ended when the filly ran a distant third behind unbeaten Songbird in the Sept. 24 Cotillion Stakes, also at Parx.

THE CATHRYN SOPHIA run began last October at Parx Racing. It likely ended when the filly ran a distant third behind unbeaten Songbird in the Sept. 24 Cotillion Stakes, also at Parx.

The filly, who won the Kentucky Oaks and brought together the Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones teams in owner Chuck Zacney and trainer John Servis, is not going to run in the Breeders' Cup the first weekend of November at Santa Anita Park and is scheduled to be sold at a Kentucky horse auction right after the Breeders' Cup.

"Her white blood count was a little high after the Cotillion," Servis said.

The Cotillion was an atypically poor race for Cathryn Sophia, who won her first four starts by a combined 41 1/2 lengths and ran very well even in the other two races she lost. Clearly, something was amiss in the Cotillion.

"I watched her very closely after the race and actually she recovered from that remarkably fast," Servis said. "I gave her a little work (Wednesday), which I thought was solid, but I really wanted to see spectacular. Horses of this quality are a rarity and you have to take care of them. Her Oaks win was the kind of performance you never forget as a trainer. It is a great feeling to see her end the year healthy and happy."

Zacney bought Cathryn Sophia for $30,000. She has earned $1.2 million.

"What a ride this has been," Zacney said. "I mean, she has won six of nine races for us by over 50 lengths. We have been so blessed in the horse business with Afleet Alex and now Cathryn Sophia."

The filly will be sold for Zacney by Taylor Made Sales Agency. It will be up to the new owner to decide whether she is bred in 2017 or continues to race. More likely, the new owner would choose to breed her.

@DickJerardi