Favorite Omaha Beach scratched for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby
The new favorites are three Bob Baffert-trained horses.
Omaha Beach, the favorite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, has been scratched due to an entrapped epiglottis.
Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach was entering the $3 million showcase on a three-race winning streak. The dark brown colt grabbed a one-length victory in the slop over Improbable in the Arkansas Derby, a race that demonstrated his recent knack for getting up front quickly and staying there.
The epiglottis is the flap of skin that covers a windpipe to prevent food from entering it.
“He was coughing, which made us suspicious, and we scoped him,” Mandella told Daily Racing Form.
“It’s not anything we can fix to have him run on Saturday, so we’re going to have to scratch him.”
Omaha Beach had drawn the No. 12 position in Tuesday’s post draw. With the scratch, trainer Bob Baffert is heavily favored to have a winner. His three horses -- Game Winner (5-1), Roadster (6-1) and Improbable (6-1) have the next best odds.