SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The trainer of Preakness and Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide is doubtful his horse will run in the $1 million Travers because of concerns over the horse's health following a fever.

After finishing third in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3, Funny Cide was returned to Saratoga, where he developed a fever. The horse's temperature returned to normal in a few days, but blood tests taken earlier this week didn't yield satisfactory results and Funny Cide hasn't been eating as he normally does, Barclay Tagg said Friday.

"I kind of doubt if I'll run, but I don't know,'' Tagg said. "I would love to run in the Travers, but I'm not going to shoot myself if I don't. You do what's best for the horse.''

The race Aug. 23 has been highly anticipated as a rematch between Funny Cide and Empire Maker, who denied the chestnut gelding the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont Stakes.

"It's literally day by day right now,'' said Jack Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, the group of friends who own Funny Cide. "We're not going to run him if he isn't right. "We're doing everything we can.''

Also expected to run in the Travers are Sky Mesa, who cruised to victory in the Haskell, and Strong Hope, who edged Empire Maker in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga the same day.

Tagg, one of the more cautious trainers in the business, said he does not want to push his New York-bred gelding because he has several more years of racing ahead of him. As a gelding, Funny Cide won't be going to stud.

Since Funny Cide's fever was discovered, Tagg has been hesitant to commit the horse to the Travers.

The horse missed a workout Wednesday and was scheduled to have another blood test Friday afternoon. Funny Cide had his scheduled jog Friday, on the advice of a chiropractor who worked on him Thursday.

Funny Cide is one of only two colts to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown. Empire Maker, second in the Kentucky Derby, sat out the Preakness because of a foot injury.