Hoppertunity Scratched from Kentucky Derby with Foot Bruise
Image:
Description:
Hoppertunity wins the Rebel Stakes. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
The 140th Kentucky Derby lost one of its prime contenders when trainer Bob Baffert was forced to scratch Hoppertunity on Thursday after the promising colt developed an issue with his left front foot that is still being diagnosed.
“It is a disappointment,” Baffert said, “but I’ve had disappointments in every year of racing.”
If Baffert learned anything in the process of winning the Kentucky Derby three times, it is that everything must go right. “You can’t have a hiccup,” he said.
Baffert felt misgivings when he was forced to work Hoppertunity on a sloppy Churchill Downs track on Monday after thunderstorms pounded the area. While the Santa Anita Derby runner up was impressive throughout the drill, Baffert noticed that he was slightly off when he jogged him Wednesday morning. An adjustment was made in the horse’s shoe, but he was still a bit gimpy Thursday morning and Dr. Larry Bramlage, a noted veterinarian, was called in.
Although Dr. Bramlage could not find a problem, it was determined that further testing would be needed to determine the nature of the injury. “I’m pretty sure it’s a foot,” Baffert said. “We need more days to soak it. We ran out of time.”
Mike Pegram, part of the ownership group, said of the mysterious issue, “You better go ask the racing gods, and I’ve got no pull with them now.” He said the connections were exercising “an abundance of caution.” They held out hope the Any Given Saturday colt might be ready for the Preakness at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course on May 17.
Hoppertunity, due to break from post 11 and the second choice at 6-1 in the morning line, was viewed as one of the top threats to California Chrome, the 5-2 favorite, even though he finished 5 1/4 lengths behind his rival in the Santa Anita Derby. He bested runner up Tapiture and Ride On Curlin to win the Rebel Stakes in his start before that and Baffert is renowned for his ability to bring horses up to big races in peak condition.
Although Hoppertunity was unraced at 2, he had quickly made up for lost time in winning two of five starts with one second-place effort to earn $610,720.
“We may have a happy face,” said the good-natured Pegram, “but we’re dying inside.”