Eurosilver Uncertain for Kentucky Derby

Five minutes after Eurosilver had run second in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Florida Derby day, trainer Nick Zito declared that his colt would win the Blue Grass. But now Eurosilver, suffering from a neck infection, won’t even run in the Keeneland race on April 10, and he’s uncertain for the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Zito is running out of time with Eurosilver, who largely by default has been considered a lukewarm Derby favorite. Eurosilver has run only five times, winning three, and has yet to run around two turns as a 3-year-old.

“It’s a day-to-day situation,” said Zito, who is treating Eurosilver’s infection and resulting fever with antibiotics. “You can’t go into a Grade I race without a horse being at his best.”

Eurosilver has already missed a few days of training and is expected to miss more. A last option for Zito would appear to be the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 17. The downside to the Lexington is that it is only two weeks before the Derby.

Eurosilver is one of three Derby prospects in Zito’s barn at Keeneland. Birdstone, a disappointing fifth in the Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., last Saturday, may run in the Blue Grass. That race, as well as the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 10, are possibilities for The Cliff’s Edge, who finished third in the Florida Derby.

With Eurosilver out, Preachinatthebar, winner of the San Felipe at Santa Anita, becomes the probable favorite for the Blue Grass.

Other probables for Keeneland are Action This Day, Limehouse, Gradepoint and Skipaslew.

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The tentative field for the Santa Anita Derby, to be run a week from today, is up to nine: Wimbleton, Lion Heart, St Averil, Imperialism, Lucky Pulpit, Quinton’s Gold Rush, Rock Hard Ten, Totally Platinum and Castledale.

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Hollywood Park-based trainer Doug O’Neill, who won last year’s WinStar Derby at Sunland Park with Excessivepleasure, is running two horses Sunday in the $500,000 race in New Mexico. In the 10-horse field, O’Neill’s Hosco and Perfect Moon will be joined by three other California shippers: Consecrate and Teton Forest, trained by Bob Baffert, and Point Of Flight, trained by Vladimir Cerin.

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Jockey Pat Valenzuela, suspended indefinitely Jan. 23 when he failed to submit to a drug test, is scheduled to meet with the Santa Anita stewards on Sunday.

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DERBY PREP RECAP

Only five of 25 prep races for the Kentucky Derby have been won by favorites. Here’s a rundown:

*--* Race Track Favorite Winner $2 Win Payoff Spectacular Gulfstream Wynn Dot Wynn Dot $5.40 Bid Comma Comma Golden Gate Golden Gate Skipaslew Skipaslew $4.00 Derby San Miguel Santa Anita The Herc Hosco $10.00 Holy Bull Gulfstream Silver Wagon Second Of $7.60 June Santa Santa Anita David St Averil $6.40 Catalina Master Le Comte Fair Grounds Polish Rifle Fire Slam $5.40 San Vicente Santa Anita Hosco Imperialism $30.20 Turf Turf Paradise Perfect Moon Mambo Train $7.60 Paradise Derby Whirlaway Aqueduct Quick Action Little $21.40 Matth Man Sham Santa Anita Master David Master David $4.20 Hutcheson Gulfstream Wynn Dot Limehouse $10.40 Comma Fountain of Gulfstream Second Of Read The $6.20 Youth June Footnotes Risen Star Fair Grounds Mr. Jester Gradepoint $5.80 Baldwin Santa Anita Saint Afleet Seattle $12.60 Borders Southwest Oaklawn Smarty Jones Smarty Jones $3.00 San Rafael Santa Anita Lion Heart Imperialism $16.80 Louisiana Fair Grounds Break Away Wimbledon $16.40 Derby Florida Derby Gulfstream Read The Friends Lake $76.80 Footnotes Swale Gulfstream Eurosilver Wynn Dot $10.00 Comma El Camino Golden Gate Seattle Kilgowan $55.80 Real Borders San Felipe Santa Anita St Averil Preachinatt $19.20 hebar Tampa Bay Tampa Downs Limehouse Limehouse $3.80 Derby Gotham Aqueduct Eddington Saratoga $11.40 County Lane’s End Turfway Birdstone Sinister G $34.80 Rebel Oaklawn Purge Smarty Jones $9.00

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