The Kentucky Derby (G1) has not been kind to the Florida Derby (G1) over the past five years.
On Saturday, one week before the Run for the Roses, Florida Derby winner Tappan Street sustained a condylar fracture in his right foreleg following a workout at Churchill Downs.
From 2021 through 2024, Florida Derby winners have a Kentucky Derby ledger that reads like this: 2021 (Known Agenda, eighth); 2022 (White Abarrio, 16th); 2023 Forte, scratched the morning of the race); 2024 (Fierceness, 15th).
With Tappan Street out, Render Judgment will be moved into the field based on Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Trainer Brad Cox, who trains Tappan Street, still has a Derby runner in Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Final Gambit.
Render Judgment is trained by Kenny McPeek, who won last year’s Derby with Mystik Dan and the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Thorpedo Anna.
McPeek now has another chance to pull off the rare Oaks-Derby double as he sends out Take Charge Milady in the Oaks on May 2.
Cox told drf.com: “It’s part of [the game], we’re just focused on getting him moved. I really don’t think it’s a big issue. Anytime you put a horse under anesthesia, it’s always something, but I feel pretty confident that he’s going to be just fine.”
Surgery is scheduled for Sunday at Rood and Riddle Equine Clinic.
Final Gambit worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 under jockey Luan Machado at Churchill Downs ... Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Burnham Square worked 5 furlongs in 59.40 ... Render Judgment, a maiden winner and 0-for-5 since, worked 5 furlongs in 59.00. Julien Leparoux was named to ride Render Judgment (McPeek’s regular rider Brian Hernandez, Jr, has the call on Burnham Square) ... Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, is next in line to get in the field if another Derby horse is scratched.
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