NEWS
Eskendereya to miss Derby with filling in left leg
Posted: Sunday, April 25, 2010 9:29 AM
ESKENDEREYA WINNING THE WOOD MEMORIAL (G1)
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
by Ed DeRosa
Ahmed Zayat’s Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner Eskendereya, the probable favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), will miss the classic and the entire Triple Crown series after trainer Todd Pletcher detected filling in the Giant’s Causeway colt’s left front leg.
Pletcher said on Saturday that he might work Eskendereya on Sunday, but the colt missed not only a Sunday morning workout but also training altogether. Pletcher said he informed Zayat at 4:30 a.m. EDT by text and that Zayat called him back two hours later.
“I was concerned yesterday, but Saturday was the Sabbath for Mr. Zayat, and he told me on Friday afternoon that he would be unable to talk for 24 hours, so it was a tricky 24-hour period,” Pletcher said. “We treated [Eskendereya] on Saturday and were hoping for a miracle overnight but didn’t get it.
“I felt bad not talking about it [with the press], but my first priority is to tell the owner first, and I couldn’t talk to [Zayat] until today. Professionally, it was the toughest call I ever had to make.”
Pletcher likened Eskendereya’s malady to a sprained ankle in a person.
“When you see a sprained ankle, you don’t see the ankle, you see the swelling all around it,” Pletcher said.
The trainer said it was too early to know the extent of the injury and whether it is career threatening. Zayat had filed paperwork indicating that his plan was to sell Eskendereya sometime this year. Pletcher said that several parties were interested in buying the colt this spring, but that those discussions never elevated to the point of conducting a veterinary examination.
Eskendereya won all three of his starts as a three-year-old, including the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1) and Wood Memorial by a combined margin of 18 1/4 lengths. He has won four of six races overall and has earned $725,700.
His defection means that champion two-year-old male and Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Lookin At Lucky probably will be the Derby favorite. It also ensured Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Homeboykris a spot in the starting gate with Jackson Bend, Backtalk, and Make Music for Me still on the bubble.
Pletcher probably will saddle at least five other horses in the Derby, and one of those could be the Malibu Moon filly Devil May Care. Pletcher said that he is more likely to enter her now that John Velazquez is available to ride with Eskendereya out. Pletcher and Velazquez teamed to win the 2007 Belmont Stakes (G1) with the filly Rags to Riches.
Still, Eskendereya was the three-year-old who gave Pletcher his best chance to win the Kentucky Derby.
“Without a doubt, this is the best horse I’ve brought to this stage; I’ve never had one this good at this time,” said Pletcher, who is winless with 24 Derbys starters. “I’m so disappointed because I knew 1 ¼ miles and even 1 ½ miles was in his range. I felt confident that he could hold his form and bounce back in two weeks. I really thought this was a horse who could stand up to the [Triple Crown] series.
“I know how hard it is to win this race [the Derby], let alone all three, but 1 ½ miles and three races in five weeks was within his scope.”
Eskendereya’s defection marks the second consecutive year that the probable favorite withdrew from the Derby the week of the race. BlackBerry Florida Derby (G1) winner Quality Road did not enter last year because of quarter cracks, and morning-line favorite and Wood Memorial winner I Want Revenge scratched the morning of the race.
Ed DeRosa is news editor for Thoroughbred Times
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Charles McGee, Andalusia, AL on April 27, 2010 at 05:20 PM
Todd needs a break. He has too many horses to give them the care they need. That does not mena that he is abusive, just too busy to pay close attention. If his staffers were competent to take charge they would be trainers with their own string.
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Posted by: Nancy, Newark, DE on April 27, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Previous Iron Horse generations would have this horse (Eskenderaya) standing in ice or out on the wash rack getting a stream of cold water from the hose run down his leg a week out from the race, everyday, enter, THEN scratch if the swelling was still there. The horse is not lame, and there is probably nothing wrong. A mosquito bite is enough anymore to scratch a "valuable" horse out of the big races. It's pathetic. 25 years of breeding fragile and pampered horses. There is nothing anymore to garner a fan base. Especially when buzz horses run as often as it rains in the Sahara, and finding a racing program amongst the slot machines is like finding a needle in a haystack.
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Posted by: Larry, Kennewick, WA on April 26, 2010 at 07:58 PM
you don't hear Todd's peers calling him arrogant do you? They know how hard it is to bring a horse up to this race. I don't care how many you enter, it's the hardest race in the world to win. Todd is a class act and Robert from Miami arrarently doesn't know him very well.
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Posted by: Pattie, Pickens, SC on April 26, 2010 at 02:56 PM
Dear Eskendereya:
I am praying that you feel better soon. I'm sorry to hear you won't be able to race in the Kentucky Derby. I had so hoped that we would have a Triple Crown Winner this year, & I felt that you would be the one to do it. Take it easy, Big Guy. With Love, Pattie & My Big Red
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Posted by: Robert, Miami, FL on April 26, 2010 at 08:00 AM
Feel bad for the horse but certainly not it's arrogant daddy's boy trainer. Lets see; 0 for 24 with 5 going in this years Derby [0 for 29] and some people will give accolades to a Trainer with strings of million dollar babies. As the great Charles Whittingham once said " I only enter a horse who I think has a realistic chance to win". Can't say that about this spoiled guy [Pletcher - 1 for 30 something in Triple Crown events].
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