SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Country Grammer, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup winner, will most likely miss the major races in the older male division this year due to an ankle injury that has flared up, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday. Country Grammer, who was under consideration for the Grade 1 Whitney here Aug. 7, missed a scheduled work Friday at Saratoga. Pletcher said X-rays and ultrasounds of the ankle were clean, and it appears he just wrenched it. “He’s going to go to WinStar for a more thorough evaluation in hopefully what will amount to a short rest and we’ll have him back in time for maybe a prep for the Pegasus,” Pletcher said. The Pegasus is run in late January at Gulfstream Park. The Harlan’s Holiday is a race in December at Gulfstream that typically serves as a prep for the Pegasus. Until it is determined how much time off Country Grammer will need, Pletcher didn’t entirely rule out coming back this fall. “I don’t want to rule anything in or out, but I think the horse is going to need several weeks to let everything quiet down and when you’re pointing for major races this time of year you can’t miss too much training,” Pletcher said. Country Grammer, who won the Grade 3 Peter Pan when it was held at Saratoga in July 2020, was purchased by WinStar for $110,000 at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale as part of the late Paul Pompa Jr.’s dispersal. Country Grammer, who was sent to Bob Baffert following that sale, ran second in the Californian at Santa Anita before winning the Hollywood Gold Cup. In June, he was sent to Pletcher at Belmont Park after the New York Racing Association banned Baffert from stabling or running horses at its tracks due to a series of positive medication violations over the last year, including one involving Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit. That ban has since been overturned by a New York judge. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more As far as the Whitney goes, Pletcher is still considering running Happy Saver, last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup winner who suffered his first loss when he was third in the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont earlier this month. Pletcher said Happy Saver’s next work could determine if he runs in the Whitney, the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21, or the Jockey Club Gold Cup, now run at Saratoga, on Sept. 4. Pletcher said Dr Post, the Monmouth Cup winner, is under consideration for the Pacific Classic or Jockey Club Gold Cup.