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The field of the 151st edition of the Kentucky derby was reduced to 19 by Friday after two horses were striped with potential complications, including a foal formed by legendary coach Bob Baffert.
Rodriguez, the winner of the Wood Memorial, was scratched Thursday due to a deadly foot and will rather be sidelined to the second floor of the Triple crown, Preakness issues on May 17.
The participant of Kentucky Derby Rodriguez trains in Churchill Downs on Thursday May 1, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (AP photo / Charlie Riedel)
“By an abundance of prudence, we have made a very difficult decision to scratch our Horse Derby, Rodriguez,” confirmed Tom Ryan of Starlight Racing, one of the multiple owners of the foal, in an article on X.
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“He has a small but slightly sensitive to a foot that will need a few more days. Therefore, we reset our plans and target it for the Preakness.”
Rodriguez was one of the two horses formed by Baffert in competition in Kentucky Derby on Saturday. The renowned temple coach returns to Churchill Downs for the first time since the victory of Kentucky Derby of Medina Spirit in 2021, a title which was then stripped due to a positive screening test resulting in a three -year suspension to slave.
Coach Bob Buffete raises the trophy after winning the Kentucky Derby 147th race with Medina Spirit, his seventh career victory at Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs on May 1, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
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“It was an honest error,” said slack in an interview with Sitdown with “Fox & Friends” Friday morning. “The test levels are so low now … It was in an ointment, and we did not go before about 48 hours that it was used humanly – it had a horrible rash.”
“We were fighting for the horse,” said he was imprinted about the legal battle that followed after the title of Medina Spirit was stripped. He said that Fallout was never above the denial of a positive screening test. “He won this victory.”
John Velazquez, driving Medina Spirit, crossed the finish line to win the Kentucky Derby Derby Downs, Kentucky, May 1, 2021, file photo. (Photo / jeff dresserson, file)
Baffert will always have a horse in the race as he pursues a seventh record victory at Kentucky Derby – a record that he briefly owned in 2021. Citizen Bull, a two -year -old foal, attracted the formidable post n ° 1 for the race on Saturday.
Baeza entered the 20 -horsepower field in place of Rodriguez, but the field was reduced to 19 after Grande was also scratched on Friday with a cracked heel.
