Silent Tactic scratched from Kentucky Derby, moving Great White into field
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby field rarely stays the same between the time horses are entered and post time a week later, and Wednesday morning brought the first scratch.
Churchill Downs announced Silent Tactic, who was 20-1 on the morning line, has been withdrawn from Saturday’s race. Trainer Mark Casse told the Daily Racing Form the colt has a bruised foot, adding he hoped Silent Tactic would be able to run in the Preakness Stakes on May 16 at Laurel Park.
The scratch moves Great White from the also-eligible list into the field of 20. Great White, a son of Violence, won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes in February over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park, but in his only career start on dirt two months later, he was a distant fifth in the Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Three or more horses could contend for favorite status, but all California horses are long shots entering Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
Great White will be ridden by Alex Achard for trainer John Ennis. It will be Achard’s first Derby mount; Ennis was represented two years ago by Epic Ride, who finished 13th.
Outside of the two unbeaten horses in the Derby, Silent Tactic was one of only two entrants to finish first or second in all of his races (Potente is the other). He had two victories, including the Southwest at Oaklawn Park.
Silent Tactic was scheduled to break from the No. 13 post. With his withdrawal, every horse from 14 through 20 will move in by one position.
