Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Kitten's Joy, champion turf male of 2004, will miss his scheduled start in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1) on October 1 at Belmont Park and instead will be flown from New York to Kentucky for diagnostic tests next week.Kitten's Joy showed signs of discomfort a few days after a September 12 workout at Belmont Park, said trainer Dale Romans. The son of El Prado (Ire) had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip from his left knee at the end of his 2004 campaign.

"It seems like his knee is bothering him again," Romans said. "We'll get him to Ramsey Farm [near Lexington] next week, take some X-rays, and evaluate him."

If nothing is found to be wrong, Kitten's Joy will train up to the Breeders Cup Turf (G1) at Belmont on October 29, Romans said.

"He'd run in the Breeders' Cup if it's possible," he said. "We'll evaluate him after we see the X-rays and decide what the next move should be.

"It's not that bad," Romans continued "It's just that a horse can't compete at the level he needs to without being 100%."

Kitten's Joy has won nine times and finished second four times in 14 career races. He has won seven graded stakes, including last year's edition of the Turf Classic. Most recently, he finished second in the Arlington Million (G1), beaten three lengths by Powerscourt (GB).—Pete Denk