Quip to Scratch From Blue Grass, Head to Arkansas Derby

Graded stakes winner Quip will scratch from the April 7 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, and instead head to Oaklawn Park for a start in the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 14, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said.

Quip captured the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his season debut March 10, when he defeated Blue Grass entrant Flameaway by a length. When Justify was rerouted from the Arkansas Derby to Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (G1), the door was open to send Quip to Hot Springs in hopes of getting a top-level victory for the son of Distorted Humor .

WINCZE HUGHES: Quip All Business in Tampa Bay Derby

"The Arkansas Derby is a grade 1 and ... they're not easy to win," Brisset said. "After the Triple Crown, you have fewer chances and ... the main thing really that made us do this was Justify going to the Santa Anita Derby."

An injury to Bob Baffert-trained stablemate McKinzie—who was slated to run in the Santa Anita Derby—prompted the decision to keep Justify in California for his first graded stakes try.

Bred by WinStar Farm and co-owned by Kenny Troutt's operation, along with SF Racing and China Horse Club, Quip has won three of four starts, with his lone defeat a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 25. He drew post 5 in the field of 14 for the Blue Grass and was the 6-1 co-third choice on the morning line.

With Quip scheduled to scratch, Mark Casse-trained Determinant will be able to draw in off the also-eligible list. The son of Tapit  is cross-entered in the April 6 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T), but Casse said Thursday evening that, despite having to break from the outside in the Blue Grass, he and owner John Oxley wanted to give him a chance in Keeneland's signature $1 million test.

"We're going to run," Casse said. "We want to try him on the dirt and we talked about it and, obviously we wish we weren't on the outside, but it looks like there is some speed inside of him. We want to give him a try. Mr. Oxley wants to give him a try. And if you're not in it, you can't win it."

Oxley also owns Flameaway.

Another Blue Grass contender whose status is in flux is Machismo, who came in fourth last time out in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). Co-owner Ron Paolucci, not thrilled about either the post 13 draw or a forecast calling for snow in Lexington, has been mulling sending the son of More Than Ready  to the Arkansas Derby. Paolucci is concerned about how inclement weather Friday into Saturday could impact the Keeneland main track.

"It's more the track conditions, but I think the weather forecast has gotten a little bit better (for Kentucky)," Paolucci said. "We were planning on just passing the race. We were going to breeze him on Friday, but I told my trainer (Anthony Quartarolo) to hold off, and we're going to kind of play it by the hour—see how the track plays. It's supposed to be real cold in the morning and then 40s in the afternoon, so I don't want a frozen track and then it thaws out.

"It's going to be a 12th-hour decision. And the other thing, too, is the forecast at Oaklawn next week looks terrible. So it's pick your poison. I would like to run (at Keeneland). I know I'm up against it with the draw, but this is a good horse."