Triple Crown bid over: Kentucky Derby champ Country House will skip Preakness
His trainer says the horse has a cough. "He’s acting like he’s going to get sick."
Days after being named the Kentucky Derby champion by disqualification, Country House is out of the Preakness.
His trainer, Bill Mott, said Tuesday that the horse is sick.
“He developed a little bit of a cough this morning,” Mott told the Daily Racing Form. “His appetite is good. He doesn’t have a fever. But he’s coughing. We drew blood. He’s acting like he’s going to get sick. He’s off the training list, and if he’s off the training list, he’s off the Preakness list."
Mott said this type of illness might keep Country House out for “a couple weeks of training.” He becomes the fourth Derby winner in the last four decades to miss the Preakness.
Maximum Security, the Derby favorite, crossed the finish line first Saturday. But he was disqualified by Churchill Downs stewards after a review showed that the horse interfered with other racers.
Country House, a 65-1 favorite Saturday, finished second and was elevated to first after the disqualification.
Maximum Security also will skip the Preakness, which will be run May 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.