A little more than 24 hours to go before some of the best thoroughbreds in the country and their equestrians, put on their finest display at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is around the corner and the hype surrounding it only keeps increasing. However, tragic news has hit the event, and now, a series of 3 back-to-back setbacks follow. Ever since Wild on Ice passed away after being gravely injured, 3 other horses have backed off at the last minute.

Continuar, Lord Miles, and Practical Move have all now withdrawn their participation from the race. This comes high on the heels of the euthanization of Wild On Ice. Will the Kentucky Derby live up to its expectation or are more surprises in store for the event this year?

Kentucky Derby releases a series of not-so-great updates

The Instagram page of the Derby has come out with a series of posts, each informing about the nonparticipation of the horse and its replacement. A post read, “With Lord Miles scratched from the #KyDerby, Mandarin Hero will draw into the field and break from the outside post 20 but program number will remain the same as No. 22”. Besides this, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has been suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs.

This comes right after the death of two other horses trained by Joseph; Parents Pride and Chasing Artie died on Saturday and Tuesday respectively. Mandarin Hero and jockey Kazushi Kimura will now replace Lord Miles. From one Japanese thoroughbred to another, the Kentucky Derby also had an update about Continuar.

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“Continuar will not run in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said “…he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby. King Russell will draw into the field”, it read.

Continuar had qualified for the Kentucky Derby after winning the Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. King Russell and jockey Rafael Bejarano will be replacing the Japanese rider-ride duo.

It all started with the euthanization of Wild On Ice

Kentucky Derby had a 3rd update that read, “Practical Move will be scratched from #KyDerby due to an elevated temperature. Cyclone Mischief will draw into the field and break from the outside post 20 but program number will remain the same as No. 21”. The Tik Yakteen trained thoroughbred, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, was one of the early choices to race at the event with strong odds of 10-1.

All these updates, different as they are, have dropped in a series of quick successions right after Wild On Ice’s demise. Wild On Ice was severely injured after which it had to be euthanized leaving the sports world shattered. Ken Tohill, at age 60, was about to be the oldest rider at the Derby with Wild On Ice, when a training session injury soon turned fatal for the horse. Nevertheless, the preparations for the Kentucky Derby are moving ahead at full pace and the replacements are ready.

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