Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens, who ranks 17th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, will bypass the Louisville classic May 6, according to Churchill Downs, which issued its updated Kentucky Derby Leaderboard on Sunday.
Blazing Sevens' defection allows Louisiana Derby (G2) third-place finisher Jace's Road to draw into the Kentucky Derby (G1) field, which is limited to 20 starters.
Blazing Sevens, trained by Chad Brown, finished third in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) earlier this month at Keeneland. He will be pointed to the Preakness (G1) May 20 at Pimlico, Daily Racing Form reports.
“I just feel this horse ran out of time really to develop to get to [the Derby] with a good chance to be competitive, meaning I'm looking to have a chance to win or be in the top 3,” Brown told the publication Sunday afternoon. “He's a race behind where he needs to be.”
Brown won the Preakness last year with Early Voting and in 2017 with Cloud Computing. Though both horses who had enough points to qualify for the Derby, both bypassed the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
Santa Anita Derby (G1) third-place finisher Skinner ranks next on the Leaderboard and could draw into the Derby field should another defection arise between now and May 1, when entries are taken. Cyclone Mischief, who was third in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), would be next.
Peter Brant's graded stakes-placed Shidabhuti, who was third in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 8 for Brown, will bypass the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 5.
Shidabhuti earned 50 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks for her victory in the Busher Invitational victory on March 4. She earned an additional 30 points when third in the Gazelle (G3) April 8 , giving her enough total points to be guaranteed a place in the Oaks starting gate.
Brown told the Form, the daughter of Practical Joke will keep to one-turn races.
Shidabhuti's Kentucky Oaks defection allows champion 2-year-old filly Wonder Wheel to draw into the field, which is limited to 14 starters.
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