Uncle Mo

Although it came as no real surprise when word leaked out Friday morning that Uncle Mo, the juvenile champion, would be scratched from the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was yet another reminder of just how fragile thoroughbred horses truly are. The departure of Uncle Mo due to a gastrointestinal infection that has caused him to lose nearly 70 pounds in the last month marks the third consecutive year one of the top contenders was scratched during...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Todd Pletcher knew there were rumors. He even figured some of them impugned his horses. When you're one of the winningest trainers in the game who just happens to condition a quarter of the Kentucky Derby field, that, he said, "is part of the deal. " Upon hearing the specific rumor concerning Verrazano, the 4-1 second choice on the morning line for Saturday's race, the man worrying about five Derby horses - plus four in the ultra-competitive Kentucky Oaks field Friday - found a reason to smile.

After years of putting his foot in his mouth, Bob Baffert has come up with something he likes to call "The 10 Minute Rule. " He'll talk to the media about whatever they want, but only for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, he says, he tends to say stuff he later tends to regret. So when reporters gathered around his barn Thursday morning to get his thoughts on the horses entered in this year's Kentucky Derby, including his own horse, Midnight Interlude, he playfully checked his watch every few minutes.

Really, the frustration began at last year's Belmont. That's when Animal Kingdom, Graham Motion's finest horse to date, was cut off and, while veering away, clipped heels and almost tossed his jockey. It took a thunderous run at the end - the colt's specialty - to place sixth after winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing a close second at the Preakness. Animal Kingdom was injured in that race, suffering a fracture in his left hind leg that would require surgery. He spent the rest of the year resting and rehabbing.

Mike Repole is the kind of guy who doesn't mind a little attention from the media, but he admitted Thursday he'd definitely prefer to be answering questions this week about how good it feels to have the Kentucky Derby favorite as opposed to questions about whether or not, his horse, Uncle Mo, will even run. Repole took questions from reporters for nearly 15 minutes outside trainer Todd Pletcher's barn Thursday morning, but we still don't know whether...

Dialed In was made a 4-1 morning line favorite Wednesday for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby after he drew the No. 8 stall at the race's post position draw. The Florida Derby winner, who is trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, has won three times in four career starts. Once he drew a favorable post, as expected, Churchill Downs handicapper Mike Battaglia tabbed him as the horse to beat Saturday. Uncle Mo, even though his status remains up in the air for Saturday's race, has the second best odds at 9-2 after drawing the 18th post position.

Mike Repole is the kind of guy who doesn't mind a little attention from the media, but he admitted Thursday he'd definitely prefer to be answering questions this week about how good it feels to have the Kentucky Derby favorite as opposed to questions about whether or not, his horse, Uncle Mo, will even run. Repole took questions from reporters for nearly 15 minutes outside trainer Todd Pletcher's barn Thursday morning, but we still don't know...

LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Although it came as no real surprise when word leaked out Friday morning that Uncle Mo, the juvenile champion, would be scratched from the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was yet another reminder of just how fragile thoroughbred horses truly are. Rumors had been swirling around the track all week that trainer Todd Pletcher would never send him to the gate. Uncle Mo was undefeated as a 2-year-old, but a third place finish three weeks ago at the Wood Memorial sparked concerns that something wasn't right.

No one can say with any real certainty whether or not Uncle Mo will be in the starting gate on Saturday when the Kentucky Derby is run for the 137th time at Churchill Downs. He's still battling a gastrointestinal infection that could result in a scratch right up until post time. But even if he does run, there is a good chance he won't be the favorite. For now, that honor goes to Dialed In, the horse Churchill Downs handicapper Mike Battaglia picked as the 4-1 morning line favorite on Wednesday after the Nick Zito-trained colt drew the favorable eighth stall in the Derby post position draw.

Some years, a majestic 3-year-old thoroughbred will trot onto the scene and immediately emerge as a favorite in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby. He'll look great in workouts, dominate the prep races and tantalize the sport, injecting hope into the elusive dream of seeing a horse win a Triple Crown. This is not one of those years. In fact, if you have $2 and a hunch, you might have just as good a shot as the experts at picking a winner in the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, even if you barely know the difference between a furlong, a furlough and a fur coat.

Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, who came up lame in the days following the Belmont Stakes, has a slab fracture in his left hind leg that will require surgery. He will not race again this season, according to Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin and trainer Graham Motion. Animal Kingdom, who resides at the Fair Hill Training Facility in Elkton, had x-rays performed on his leg two weeks ago at the New Bolton Research Center in Kennett Square, Penn., and veterinarians detected a small defect in his leg — a fissure — they wanted to closely monitor.

In his first race on a dirt surface, Animal Kingdom roared from the pack to capture the 137th Kentucky Derby today at Churchill Downs. A 20-1 choice ridden by John Velazquez, who lost his ride on Uncle Mo Friday when the horse was scratched, Animal Kingdom chased down Shackleford, who led almost the entire race. Animal Kingdom is trained by Graham Motion, who is based in Fair Hill, Md. Nehro also made a run, but finished second. Mucho Macho Man was third. Shackleford faded to fourth.

Although it came as no real surprise when word leaked out Friday morning that Uncle Mo, the juvenile champion, would be scratched from the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was yet another reminder of just how fragile thoroughbred horses truly are. The departure of Uncle Mo due to a gastrointestinal infection that has caused him to lose nearly 70 pounds in the last month marks the third consecutive year one of the top contenders was scratched during...

Uncle Mo came out on top of the computer rankings, but his late scratch Friday morning was the result of a lingering illness. With Uncle Mo out, Dialed In will be a slightly heavier favorite but still should stay above 3:1 by post time. Dialed In earned his spot near the top of the rankings based on his last-to-first win in the Florida Derby. In a year when it seemed that none of the serious contenders could hold form, two horses in the race won their final prep races as well bet second or third choices — Dialed In and Animal Kingdom.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Although it came as no real surprise when word leaked out Friday morning that Uncle Mo, the juvenile champion, would be scratched from the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, it was yet another reminder of just how fragile thoroughbred horses truly are. Rumors had been swirling around the track all week that trainer Todd Pletcher would never send him to the gate. Uncle Mo was undefeated as a 2-year-old, but a third place finish three weeks ago at the Wood Memorial sparked concerns that something wasn't right.

Too much Mucho Kevin Van Valkenburg Baltimore Sun No one seems particularly wowed by any of the horses in this year's crop of 3-year-olds, especially after Uncle Mo looked like "Uncle Slow" at the Wood Memorial. If not for that lackluster race, Uncle Mo would be an easy pick. He's the most talented horse in the field, but thanks to a gastrointestinal infection, we're still not sure if he'll even be in the gate on Saturday. It's too risky to pick a horse with so many questions.

Uncle Mo came out on top of the computer rankings, but his late scratch Friday morning was the result of a lingering illness. With Uncle Mo out, Dialed In will be a slightly heavier favorite but still should stay above 3:1 by post time. Dialed In earned his spot near the top of the rankings based on his last-to-first win in the Florida Derby. In a year when it seemed that none of the serious contenders could hold form, two horses in the race won their final prep races as well bet second or third choices — Dialed In and Animal Kingdom.

Too much Mucho Kevin Van Valkenburg Baltimore Sun No one seems particularly wowed by any of the horses in this year's crop of 3-year-olds, especially after Uncle Mo looked like "Uncle Slow" at the Wood Memorial. If not for that lackluster race, Uncle Mo would be an easy pick. He's the most talented horse in the field, but thanks to a gastrointestinal infection, we're still not sure if he'll even be in the gate on Saturday. It's too risky to pick a horse with so many questions.

Mike Repole is the kind of guy who doesn't mind a little attention from the media, but he admitted Thursday he'd definitely prefer to be answering questions this week about how good it feels to have the Kentucky Derby favorite as opposed to questions about whether or not, his horse, Uncle Mo, will even run. Repole took questions from reporters for nearly 15 minutes outside trainer Todd Pletcher's barn Thursday morning, but we still don't know...

After years of putting his foot in his mouth, Bob Baffert has come up with something he likes to call "The 10 Minute Rule. " He'll talk to the media about whatever they want, but only for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, he says, he tends to say stuff he later tends to regret. So when reporters gathered around his barn Thursday morning to get his thoughts on the horses entered in this year's Kentucky Derby, including his own horse, Midnight Interlude, he playfully checked his watch every few minutes.