McCarron Won’t Ride in Preakness

Chris McCarron, scheduled to ride Stephen Got Even in Saturday’s Preakness at Pimlico, suffered a hairline fracture near the heel of his left foot at Hollywood Park on Monday and will sit out the race.

Scott McClellan, McCarron’s agent, said that the injury isn’t expected to sideline the rider very long, but he definitely won’t ride this weekend.

“It wouldn’t be fair for Chris to ride in a race of this magnitude when he might not be 100% and could possibly compromise the horse’s chances,” McClellan said.

McCarron, who was dropped by a horse and landed on his foot during a workout, has won the Preakness twice, with Alysheba in 1987 and Pine Bluff in 1992. He rode Stephen Got Even to 14th place in the Kentucky Derby.

Nick Zito, who trains Stephen Got Even, said he wouldn’t name a replacement for McCarron until after entries are drawn tonight. Zito is hoping Gary Stevens becomes available.

Stevens is scheduled to ride the filly Silverbulletday in the Preakness, but her trainer, Bob Baffert, has also entered her in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico. Baffert said that if Silverbulletday draws an outside post position for the Preakness, she will probably run in the Black-Eyed Susan, a race for fillies. Silverbulletday won the Kentucky Oaks, another race for fillies, the day before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.