 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
Tappan Street has been ruled out of next Friday's Kentucky Derby after sustaining a condylar fracture during his final workout at Churchill Downs. The injury, which is not life-threatening, was detected after the Florida Derby winner, who defeated Sovereignty in Florida and was previously second to Burnham Square in the Gr.3 Holy Bull Stakes , completed a five-furlong breeze in 59.3 seconds on Saturday morning.
Trainer Brad Cox confirmed: "It's nothing I don't believe at all, but he does require surgery, and he's obviously out of the Derby."
The son of Into Mischief, who would have been among the top five favourites for America's most prestigious race, will now visit noted equine surgeon Larry Bramlage at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington.
The withdrawal opens a starting position for longshot Render Judgment, who moves into the field despite the reservations of trainer Kenny McPeek.
"The ownership group talked about it, and they really want to run in the Derby," McPeek said. "If that's what they want to do, that's what we're gonna do. He's gonna have to find another level."
McPeek, who trained last year's winner Mystik Dan, had preferred a more winnable allowance race for the Blame colt, who has just one win from seven starts. The ownership groups Baccari Racing Stable, Dream Walkin Farms, MJM Racing, and Rocket Ship Racing—overruled his recommendation.
"He's going to have to run the race of his life," McPeek added. "We're going to have to have a lot of things go right, but physically, he's doing super. I don't have any excuse not to run him because of health. And, look, it is a dream for many people, and I'm gonna go with that dream."
Baeza, who finished second in the Gr.1 Santa Anita Derby , remains first on the also-eligible list, needing one more withdrawal to secure a place in the 20-runner field.
The colt represents a potentially historic opportunity for his dam Puca, who could become the first mare to produce two Kentucky Derby winners, having already fooled 2023 victor Mage.
"That's a dream of a lifetime," said Robert Clay of Grandview Equine, who bred Baeza. "That's more than special. It would be fun. It was fun to breed a Derby horse. It would be fun to breed one that you still had a piece of."
Puca has already produced back-to-back classic winners, with Dornoch winning last year's Gr.1 Belmont Stakes after Mage's Derby triumph. Both colts were bred by Grandview.
"These three colts are totally different types, and Baeza, when you see him, he's turned into a magnificent specimen... This guy, he's really a classic, kind of godlike-looking colt, so he takes your breath away when you see him," Clay remarked.
Clay expressed disappointment that a change in the Derby points system has left Baeza on the outside looking in despite finishing second in a major prep race.
In previous years, Baeza's Santa Anita Derby runner-up finish would have been worth 50 points, enough to secure qualification. However, a rule change reducing points for races with smaller fields has left the colt with just 37.5 points after the Santa Anita Derby attracted only five runners.
"If it's going to be as good as it can be—we all want the best horses in the country on the first Saturday of May to be running the race—and a point system that keeps that from happening is one that's probably got to continue to be tweaked," Clay said.
The five-horse Santa Anita field included Journalism, the current Derby favourite, Citizen Bull, who qualified through earlier wins in the Gr.3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and Gr.1 American Pharoah Stakes , and Barnes, long considered a colt expected to make a run for the roses.
"I don't get frustrated, but there's disappointment that the rule was changed, and Baeza is pretty much the victim of the rule change," Clay added.
Should Baeza not make the Derby field, Clay said the McKinzie colt will be redirected to the Gr.1 Preakness Stakes on 17 May. However, he remains optimistic about his chances should a place becoming available.
"If he does get in the race, I think he'll be in the top five or six," Clay predicted.
"From a breeder's point of view, it's a thrill lifetime to have a horse in the classics, and much less to win one," Clay said. "That was spectacular. If we could win one, or we could breed another one, and own a piece of it, double the fun."