LOUISVILLE – The maximum field of 20 entered for today’s Kentucky Derby was reduced to 19 yesterday when Aljabr, one of the two colts from Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum’s Godolphin Stable, was pulled from the race.
“[Assistant trainer] Tom Albertrani of Godolphin called me and had [veterinarian] Dr. Alex Harthill with him,” said BernieHettel, chief steward of the Kentucky Racing Commission. “Aljabr has some apparent lameness and they wanted to scratch.”
Aljabr, a champion in Europe last year who did most his training for the Derby in the Persian Gulf kingdom of Dubai, was regarded as a strong candidate to finish last today.
After arriving at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, the Storm Cat colt would break out in a sweat each morning when he galloped and showed no spark in his two workouts, one of which was slow, the other slower.
Godolphin will still be represented in the Derby by Worldly Manner, who beat Aljabr by three-quarters of a length in a trial race at Nad al-Sheba racecourse in Dubai in March.
Trainer Dick Mandella, one of the few Americans to witness that trial, said, “I know not many people are giving him a lot of chance here but I still think Worldly Manner could run a big race.” *Superstitions abound on the race track, but few horsemen put more faith in omens than Arthur Hancock III, who bred and owns top Derby contender Menifee.
“We’re going to be number 13 [in the program] and that’s a lucky number for me,” said Hancock, who also owned Derby winners Gato del Sol and Sunday Silence. “There’s 13 letters in Sunday Silence, 13 in Arthur Hancock, and Pat Day [who rides Menifee] was born on the 13th.
“I think that’s nice. It’s like finding a head’s-up penny. I didn’t make it up that that’s good luck. So I’m keeping my eyes glued to the ground.” *Desert Hero, attempting to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Derby without racing as a 2-year-old, survived a scare yesterday.
Out for a morning gallop, the son of 1993 Derby winner Sea Hero was rounding the far turn when the siren went off signaling a loose horse that was headed the wrong way around the track on the turn, right in Desert Hero’s direction. But exercise rider Francisco Alvarado was able to avert a collision.