Grade I winner I Want Revenge, who was deemed the morning-line favorite for the 135th Kentucky Derby, has been scratched from the race when heat was detected in his left front ankle.
The Wood Memorial winner apparently jogged sound but took a couple lame steps after the ankle was flexed.
“Knowing the weather and how well they seal the racetrack and the possibility of how hard the track may be we felt it would be in the best interest of the horse that we’re not going to run,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “It’s your greatest dream to come here and it’s your greatest nightmare to scratch the day of the race. It’s not quite sinking in yet.”
Mullins said he detected the problem shortly after arriving at Barn 24 at Churchill, finding heat in the ankle after removing the colt’s bandages, washing his legs, and giving them a routine check.
“I would like to commend the owners and trainer as well for doing right by the horse,” said Dr. Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian for the American Association for Equine Practitioners. “If this weren’t a Derby horse we’d just be keeping an eye on it.”
Dr. Foster Northrop, the attending veterinarian, said he believed the ailment was not serious but has not yet determined the cause for the inflammation.
“On the digital X-rays I’m not seeing any bone lesion at all. It X-rays really pristine, so I do think more soft tissue at this point,” Northrop said.” Ultrasound, which is basically an X-ray on soft tissue, I’m not seeing a lesion either. So further diagnostics will be done.
“It’s a high-risk area for being injured and we need to be sure there’s not an abnormality with further diagnostics.”
Co-owner and breeder David Lanzman described the incident as “devastating”.
“I’ve got these cards that I was dealt,” Lanzman said. ““When the words came out that running could hurt the horse, I looked at those doctors and I said: ‘Then this is no debate. What are we talking about? We’ll fight another day.’ ”
Owned by Lanzman and IEAH Stables, I Want Revenge burst into the forefront of the Derby picture when he captured the Grade III Gotham Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on March 7. The son of Stephen Got Even then overcame missing the break at the start of the Wood Memorial and getting caught behind horses in the stretch to register a 1 1/2-length triumph in his final Derby prep.
“Really I’m at a loss for words. I’m just glad the horse is okay,” said his 19-year-old jockey Joe Talamo, who was to rider in his first Kentucky Derby. “It could have been a lot worse. He’s the one who got us here so you have to do the right thing by him.”
Alicia Wincze Hughes is the turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She started riding at age 8 and was a four-year member of the Pace University equestrian team.
The Derby is testing for steroids this year. I wonder if that could be the reason.
Probably not; I think IEAH Stables learned their lesson last year.
Good for them. We don’t want another Eight Belles or Barbaro this year.