Hold everything, please, there’s a big change in the Kentucky Derby (G1) field.
Rodriguez, the Wood Memorial (G2) winner trained by Bob Baffert, is out of the race with a foot bruise. Baeza, the lone also-eligible, is in.
Baffert, who is back at Churchill Downs after a three-year suspension, still has a Derby runner in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Citizen Bull, listed at 20-1 on the morning-line and leaving from the No. 1 post.
Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs of Giacomo fame (2005 Derby winner at 50-1 odds), has worked as if he would get into the field. The other day, Shirreffs said: “We’re still hoping for a gift from the gods.”
It happened. Baeza will be ridden by Eclipse Award-winner Flavien Prat, who takes off 30-1 longshot Neoequos to fulfill his commitment to ride if Baeza made the field. Luis Saez will replace Prat aboard Neoequos.
Baeza moves into the field and will break from the outside post 20. All horses outside of Rodriguez – who was in post 4 – move in one gate.
Out of an abundance of caution, we have made a very tough decision to scratch our Derby horse, Rodriguez. He has a small but slightly sensitive foot bruise that will need a few more days. Therefore, we are resetting our plans and will target him for the Preakness.
— Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) May 1, 2025
Journalism, the 3-1 favorite, defeated Baeza by three-quarters of a length in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5.
Rodriguez was among several speed horses in the field. Baeza likes to run close to the lead.
Two-time Derby winner Mike Smith had the call on Rodriguez.
Trainer George Weaver was not satisfied with her training, so he’s scratching Five G from Friday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The 3-year-old filly, who won the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), was 12-1 on the morning-line.
“She’s been off her feed the last couple of days. She didn’t train with great energy this morning [Friday]. I wasn’t happy the last couple of days. We don’t feel good about it,” Weaver told drf.com. “This is the type of race where you’ve got be 110 percent, and we don’t feel like she is.”
Prior to the Gulfstream Oaks, Five G won the Cash Run Stakes and ran second to Quietside in the Honeybee Stakes.
