Stanford Scratches from Kentucky Derby; Frammento Draws In
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Frammento, pictured at Keeneland, has drawn into the Kentucky Derby. (Photo by Coady Photography)
Edited Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, April 30, 2015) – Churchill Downs stewards were notified Thursday afternoon that Stonestreet Stables, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Stanford would not run in Saturday’s $2,203,800 Kentucky Derby (Grade I). His defection enables Mossarosa’s Frammento, trained by Nick Zito to secure the No. 20 spot in the starting gate and leave Charles Fipke’s Tale of Verve as the lone also-eligible.
Zito needed one defection by scratch time at 9 a.m. Friday to get a shot at a third Derby victory. He got that defection Thursday afternoon when the connections of Stanford opted to pass on the Derby.
“I got the call from the racing office this afternoon,” Zito said. “We are all excited. We made it. Everybody is happy. He has been training great. I know we will have to break from the 20, but that is a lot better than Post Zero!”
Had Frammento finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) instead of fourth, he would have picked up 10 more qualifying points toward the Derby and been the 20th top point earner entered in the race.
“It has been frustrating, because he is a true distance horse,” said Zito, who has won the Derby with Strike the Gold in 1991 and Go for Gin in 1994.
Corey Nakatani has the mount.
With two days to go before the first leg of the Triple Crown, all indications point to a fast track for the Derby as well as for Friday’s 141st running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). There is a slight chance of rain later Thursday with sunny skies forecast for Friday and Saturday with temperatures in the 70s at race time both days.