International Star scratched from Kentucky Derby
LOUISVILLE – International Star, who had been 20-1 on the morning betting line, was scratched Saturday morning from the Kentucky Derby due to a left, front foot problem.
"It's a devastating blow to come this far. I thought I had a decent shot at winning the race," the horse's owner, Ken Ramsey, said in a press release.
With the scratch Friday of El Kabeir (30-1 odds), that left a field of 18 horses for the Saturday afternoon Derby --- two shy of the maximum field of 20.Ramsey said International Star was examined Saturday morning after a state veterinarian saw concern in the way the horse was moving.
"Our blacksmith took the left-front shoe off and there was definitely some heat on the inside quarter of the left-front foot. Something's brewing in there, probably an abscess," said Ramsey.
"There's nothing major wrong with the horse whatsoever. We think we'll probably have him ready to come back for the Preakness but time will tell.
Another horse, Stanford, was scratched Thursday. He was replaced by an auxiliary entry, Frammento.
The scratches of El Kabeir and International Star came too late, under the regulations of Churchill Downs, for the insertion of another auxiliary entry, Tale of Verve.
PHOTOS: The week at Churchill Downs