LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Haikal won’t run in the Kentucky Derby because of an infection in his left front foot, reducing the field to 19 horses.
Haikal joins early favorite Omaha Beach on the sidelines for Saturday’s race.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Haikal was being treated for an abscess and didn’t train Thursday or Friday. That left McLaughlin no choice but to scratch the Gotham Stakes winner before the deadline Friday morning.
Haikal, a 30-1 shot, had his infected foot soaked in Epsom salts to reduce the accumulation of pus. The problem should clear shortly, but the colt ran out of time to prepare for the 1¼-mile Derby.
As a result, the rail will remain empty and Derby horses will break from Posts 2 through 20.
Omaha Beach was scratched Wednesday because of a breathing problem.