Practical Move scratched from 2023 Kentucky Derby. A replacement gets his shot at glory.

Just two days before the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby, there’s been a major shakeup to the 20-horse field.

Practical Move, trained by former Bob Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen, has been scratched from the race due to an elevated temperature discovered Thursday.

Practical Move was the winner of the Santa Anita Derby in early April.

On Monday afternoon, the horse was drawn into post position No. 10 for the race, and was given morning-line odds of 10-1 to win the Run for the Roses.

In terms of morning-line odds, Practical Move was the co-fourth choice for Saturday’s race, along with Japanese-bred Derma Sotogake.

With Practical Move out of the race, Cyclone Mischief, the first also-eligible entrant, moves into the field for Saturday night’s race.

Cyclone Mischief is trained by Louisville-native Dale Romans and was given morning-line odds of 30-1 on Monday.

Romans is 0-for-11 all-time in the Kentucky Derby.

Cyclone Mischief’s normal jockey is Joel Rosario, but Rosario has already committed to riding Disarm, trained by Steve Asmussen, in the Derby.

A jockey for Cycling Mischief hasn’t yet been announced.

Cyclone Mischief accumulated 45 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and most notably finished third in both the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Cyclone Mischief holds a 2-0-3 mark in seven career starts.

With Practical Move now out, Cyclone Mischief will break from post position No. 20, but his program number will remain No. 21.

The horses drawn outside of Practical Move (spanning Disarm in the No. 11 post to Continuar in the No. 20 post) will all shift one gate to the inside.

With Cyclone Mischief moving into the Derby field, the also-eligible list also receives a shakeup.

Mandarin Hero from Japan is now one scratch away from making the starting gate, while King Russell is two scratches away.

The Derby field will be set for good at 9 a.m. Friday.

Kentucky Derby

When: 6:57 p.m. Saturday

Where: Churchill Downs

TV: NBC and Peacock

Purse: $3 million (Grade 1)

Distance: 1 1/4 miles

For: 3-year-old Thoroughbreds

Kentucky Derby field, with odds:

1. Hit Show (30-1)

2. Verifying (15-1)

3. Two Phil’s (12-1)

4. Confidence Game (20-1)

5. Tapit Trice (5-1)

6. Kingsbarns (12-1)

7. Reincarnate (50-1)

8. Mage (15-1)

9. Skinner (SCRATCHED)

10. Practical Move (SCRATCHED)

11. Disarm (30-1)

12. Jace’s Road (50-1)

13. Sun Thunder (50-1)

14. Angel of Empire (8-1)

15. Forte (SCRATCHED)

16. Raise Cain (50-1)

17. Derma Sotogake (10-1)

18. Rocket Can (30-1)

19. Lord Miles (SCRATCHED)

20. Continuar (SCRATCHED)

21. Cyclone Mischief (30-1)

22. Mandarin Hero (20-1)

23. King Russell (50-1)

This story was originally published May 4, 2023 at 2:41 PM.

Cameron Drummond

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-242-5257

Cameron Drummond works as a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader with a focus on Kentucky men’s basketball recruiting and the UK men’s basketball team, horse racing, soccer and other sports in Central Kentucky. Drummond is a second-generation American who was born and raised in Texas, before graduating from Indiana University. He is a fluent Spanish speaker who previously worked as a community news reporter in Austin, Texas. Support my work with a digital subscription