After having won the final of the Dream Maker Series in a stakes-record 1:50.3 on August 7, the Casie Coleman-trained two-year-old Summer Travel was scheduled to race in last Saturday’s Nassagaweya Stakes, but was scratched due to sickness.

The Western Ideal colt was not the only Coleman rookie to be scratched, as filly Play The Bell, the winner of this year’s Battle of The Belles, was also pulled from the Eternal Camnation.

“They trained early (last) week and they were awesome—couldn’t have been better,” Coleman said. “But then on Thursday, the both of them started to snot but were eating good and feeling good. On Friday they were a lot more snotty and started to cough, still seeming to feel fine; until Saturday morning we came in and saw Summer Travel had a temperature of 104 [Fahrenheit] and Play The Bell had a temperature of 102, so obviously we had to scratch them.”

“We’ve been treating them; they’re on antibiotics. They seem to both be responding quite well—their snot pretty much cleared up and their temperatures are fine. Still, they both do have a little bit of a cough, but it is much, much better.”

The signs of improvement gave Coleman enough confidence to enter both rookies in this Saturday’s Grand Circuit events at Mohawk. Summer Travel will compete in a $96,880 Champlain division, while Play The Bell will start in the $169,381 Champlain Filly Stakes.

“They’re both going to be a touch-bit short because I can’t train them as much as I’d like to,” Coleman said. “We’ve got to let them get over the sickness. Obviously, if at all they are not ready by Saturday, we’re not going to take a chance and race them, but I think we’ll be okay.”

Saturday’s Canadian Pacing Derby card at Mohawk features 12 races and over $1.4 million in purses. Post time is 7:30 p.m.

To view the entries for Saturday's card, click on one of the following links:

► Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack

► Saturday Program Proof (PDF) - Mohawk Racetrack

► Saturday Past Performances Lines - Mohawk Racetrack (courtesy TrackIT)

(WEG)