05/01/26 11:32:00
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05/01 11:31 CDT Robusta is in the Kentucky Derby field with Right to Party out
Robusta is in the Kentucky Derby field with Right to Party out
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) --- Cristian Torres is getting the chance to ride in his
first Kentucky Derby after Kenny McPeek-trained Right to Party was scratched on
Friday, with Doug O'Neill's Robusta drawing into the field.
The jockey looked to be out of luck after Silent Tactic was ruled out earlier
this week because of a foot injury. Trainer Mark Casse said it was an easy
decision in the best interests of the horse but that he felt badly for Torres.
With Robusta getting in off the also-eligible list, O'Neill tapped Torres for
the mount because Emisael Jaramillo was already booked to ride at Santa Anita
Park in California on Saturday.
Robusta was the second-to-last horse eligible for the opening leg of the Triple
Crown. Dallas Stewart's Corona de Oro would draw in if there are any additional
scratches to the current field of 20 horses.
In addition to Right to Party and Silent Tactic, Brad Cox scratched Fulleffort
after an X-ray revealed a chip and fluid in the colt's left hind ankle.
Right to Party was a veterinarian scratch, not a choice made by McPeek and
owner Chester Broman Sr.
"The safety and well-being of the racehorses training and competing in Kentucky
are the center of everything we do," the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming
Commission said in a statement.
"(The commission) closely monitors data pertaining to scratches, including
those based on the advice of our regulatory veterinarians," the organization
said. "It is one of the most difficult parts of the job, as we share the goal
of each horse's connections for the horse to compete safely. ... We all want
what is best for the horse."
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This story has been corrected to show that Corona de Oro is also eligible if
there is another scratch.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
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