Kentucky Derby Field Shrinks Some More

Accelerator, a late-running second to Captain Bodgit in the Wood Memorial, was knocked out of the Kentucky Derby by a training injury Friday, leaving Churchill Downs with a tentative field that may be the smallest in 18 years.

The 123rd Derby, which will be run next Saturday, appears to be down to 11 horses. Since 1980, the average field has been 17 horses and the last time fewer than 13 competed was when Spectacular Bid, a 3-5 favorite, chased away all but nine opponents in 1979. The maximum field is 20 horses.

With no horse of Spectacular Bid’s quality running this year, either Captain Bodgit or Pulpit, the Blue Grass winner, will go off as a lukewarm favorite. Numerous injuries and the inability of trainer Wayne Lukas to come up with even one starter have reduced the field. Lukas, trainer of a record 31 Derby horses, started five in last year’s race and has won the last two, with Thunder Gulch and Grindstone.

Accelerator, trained by Shug McGaughey, became the latest casualty Friday when he was pulled up during a scheduled five-furlong workout. He suffered a fracture of the left foreleg, just above the ankle, and after undergoing surgery probably won’t race again until the fall.

Acceptable, another Derby contender, suffered a similar injury to the same leg a week ago, and Boston Harbor, champion 2-year-old male last year, is recuperating from the same kind of injury.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who has a definite Derby starter in Silver Charm, said Friday that Anet, his Lone Star Derby winner, won’t run because his appetite has been poor since that race.

Besides Captain Bodgit, Pulpit and Silver Charm, other probable Derby runners are Free House, Hello, Crypto Star, Phantom On Tour, Pacificbounty, Concerto, Jack Flash and Celtic Warrior.

The list could shrink further. The status of Pacificbounty, who has been training in a protective bar shoe since cutting himself in the Arkansas Derby, will be determined after a workout Monday.

Lukas would like to run his filly, Sharp Cat, but so far the horse’s owner, Prince Ahmed bin Salman, and his racing manager, Richard Mulhall, have shown a preference for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, which is restricted to 3-year-old fillies. Lukas said that he would make one more entreaty to the prince when he arrives here Monday.