House of Pain

Today we learned that two more Kentucky Derby hopefuls are dealing with injuries that will hamper their chances to make a start on the first Saturday in May.  After the scratch of Premier Pegasus from the Santa Anita Derby the Bob Baffert-trained Jaycito assumed the role as morning line favorite for the million-dollar race.  Now Baffert says that an abscess was diagnosed in Jaycito's foot after a workout at Hollywood Park on March 22, and that the foot has been tender in recent days.  This injury will keep the horse out of Saturday's Grade I race.  According to the trainer, a start in the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 23 is still a possibility.



Baffert hopes Jaycito can still make
it into the Kentucky Derby Field


"Right now, I can't work him," Baffert said. "It needs a few days of non-aggravation."

Later in the day trainer Bill Mott revealed that To Honor and Serve who finished third in both the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby, will not make it to the Kentucky Derby due to a strain to the suspensory ligament of his left foreleg.  Mott said the injury is “very common” and that the horse would probably miss up to six weeks of training, but could be back on the track in a few months.

“We don’t think it’s serious, we didn’t want to go on and have it be something serious down the road,” said Mott

To Honor And Serve will
be sidelined 4-6 weeks.

So in a short period of time the Derby picture hasn't really gotten clearer, or cloudier...just different.  To Honor And Serve was a horse that we liked before the Florida Derby but he certainly did not impress in that effort enough to be considered a serious contender for the roses.  However, we were still impressed by (read: afraid of) the talent he showed as a 2-year-old so he would have likely been a horse that in years past we might have put money on out of fear (never a good bet).

Jaycito was a horse that neither of us particularly cared for as a Kentucky Derby contender but others seemed to still believe.  We were hoping he might make his way to Churchill Downs if only to take money away from the horses we really do like there.  He still has a chance to make it into the field assuming he runs in the Coolmore and does well enough to add to his Graded Earnings, so time will tell.

One final note: apparently Kentucky Derby superstar jockey Calvin Borel doesn't just have good luck in Louisville.  Borel escaped serious injury in the 10th race at Oaklawn, when his mount, Thunder Song, broke down near the half pole of a $10,000 maiden claiming sprint. Borel was thrown to the ground, but walked away from the incident unharmed. Unless Elite Alex, a horse he rode to a 4th place finish in the Louisiana Derby, shows up big in the Arkansas Derby next Saturday, Borel may be searching for a horse to ride in the race he has dominated over the last few years.  Add Kent Desormeaux to that list of past Derby-winning jockeys who might not have rides in the race.  Stunning to us that neither of these future Hall Of Fame jockeys are secured on a Derby horse yet, but don't bet on that being the case once the gates are opened on May 7th.

Check back later tonight to see our picks for all three major preps happening tomorrow.  It's one of the most exciting days on the Kentucky Derby Trail, and we can't wait!