LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Cristian Torres is getting the chance to ride in his first Kentucky Derby after Kenny McPeek-trained Right to Party was scratched on Friday, with Doug O'Neill's Robusta drawing into the field.
The jockey looked to be out of luck after Silent Tactic was ruled out earlier this week because of a foot injury. Trainer Mark Casse said it was an easy decision in the best interests of the horse but that he felt badly for Torres.
With
Robusta getting in off the also-eligible list, O’Neill tapped Torres for the mount because Emisael Jaramillo was already booked to ride at Santa Anita Park in California on Saturday.
Robusta was the second-to-last horse eligible for the opening leg of the Triple Crown. Dallas Stewart's Corona de Oro would draw in if there are any additional scratches to the current field of 20 horses.
In addition to Right to Party and Silent Tactic, Brad Cox scratched Fulleffort after an X-ray revealed a chip and fluid in the colt's left hind ankle.
Right to Party was a veterinarian scratch, not a choice made by McPeek and owner Chester Broman Sr.
“The safety and well-being of the racehorses training and competing in Kentucky are the center of everything we do,” the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Commission said in a statement.
“(The commission) closely monitors data pertaining to scratches, including those based on the advice of our regulatory veterinarians,” the organization said. "It is one of the most difficult parts of the job, as we share the goal of each horse’s connections for the horse to compete safely. ... We all want what is best for the horse.”
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This story has been corrected to show that Corona de Oro is also eligible if there is another scratch.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
