The Kentucky Derby is just over 24 hours away, but the field has already taken a few unexpected turns. As of Friday morning, three horses from the original 20-horse lineup have been scratched, shaking up the betting board and leaving fans scrambling to update their tickets.
Silent Tactic, who opened as a 20-1 underdog and was seen as a potential sleeper, was the first to bow out on Wednesday after developing a bruised foot. The colt had posted a solid 4-2-0 record in six career starts, but the injury was enough to sideline him. Then came Fulleffort, another 20-1 longshot, who was scratched Thursday when a bone chip was discovered in his left hind leg. That horse had been a consistent performer with a 3-2-1 mark in seven races and ranked fifth among Derby qualifiers in points.
The latest scratch came Friday morning, when Right to Party, a 30-1 morning-line shot, failed a veterinary exam. Trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed to multiple outlets that state regulatory vets flagged the colt for unsoundness, specifically right front lameness after morning training. “Another late change hit the Kentucky Derby field Friday morning,” reported Eric Crawford of WDRB. Right to Party had gone 1-1-2 in four career starts with 65 qualifying points.
But don’t worry — the Derby field isn’t shrinking just yet. All three scratches have been replaced by also-eligible horses, each entering with long odds of 50-1 on the opening line. Great White, trained by John Eniss and ridden by Alex Achard, brings a 2-0-0 record in four starts with 30 points. Ocelli, under Whit Beckman and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, has an 0-1-3 mark in six races with 25 points. And Robusta, trained by Doug O’Neill with Emisael Jaramillo aboard, is 1-1-0 in five starts with 25 points.
If any more horses are scratched, Corona de Oro remains the last also-eligible on standby. But if more than one additional horse drops out, the field will finally shrink from 20. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
For fans looking to catch all the action, post time for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. It’s sure to be a thrilling race, especially with Renegade drawing the rail and the field now reshuffled with fresh faces.
As the horses head to the gate, keep an eye on these replacement runners — they may be longshots, but stranger things have happened at Churchill Downs. And if you’re looking for more Derby coverage, check out Donna Brothers’ final call and John Fanta’s infield seat.
