The Kentucky Derby 2023 favorite scratched on race-day morning. Has that happened before?

Forte entered Kentucky Derby infamy on Saturday morning.

The morning-line favorite for the 2023 Kentucky Derby scratched out of the race at the behest of Dr. Nicholas Smith, the chief veterinarian of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Forte was given 3-1 morning line odds on Monday following the post-position draw, and was set to enter Saturday’s race as the clear top choice after wins in the Breeders’ Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last fall, as well as the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby this spring.

The late decision to scratch Forte from the Derby field — which now only has 18 horses in it — was historic.

In 2009, I Want Revenge became the first morning-line favorite to be scratched from the Kentucky Derby on the day of the race.

In that instance, trainer Jeff Mullins located a hot-spot on the 3-year-old’s ankle the morning of the race.

Something that also didn’t help I Want Revenge’s prognosis for his tender ankle that day was rain: The race was run on a sloppy track and was won by historic long shot Mine That Bird.

There are other similar circumstances surrounding both I Want Revenge’s 2009 scratch and Forte’s 2023 scratch.

In the 2008 Kentucky Derby, the filly Eight Belles became the first horse to be euthanized at the track in race history.

Earlier this week, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended by Churchill Downs following the unusual deaths of two of his horses at Churchill Downs.

A history of prominent Kentucky Derby scratches

The morning-line was first put into the racing program in 1949, and while I Want Revenge and Forte are the only morning-line favorites to scratch on race day, there have been other notable occurrences where the favorite was scratched in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby.

In 1962, Sir Gaylord, ultimately a half-brother to the legendary Secretariat, was scratched one day before the Derby as the morning-line favorite.

In 1992, Santa Anita Derby winner and likely Kentucky Derby favorite A.P. Indy scratched due to a bruised right front hoof before the post-position draw.

In 2002, Buddha — who won the Wood Memorial — was scratched due to a left front leg injury.

In 2010, projected Derby favorite and Wood Memorial champion Eskendereya developed swelling in his left front leg six days before the Run for the Roses and never raced again.

In 2011, Uncle Mo was a favorite who was scratched the day before the race due to the effects of a gastrointestinal infection.

In 2014, Hoppertunity was scratched two days before the race due to soreness.

In 2019, morning-line favorite Omaha Beach was scratched three days before the race due to an entrapped epiglottis, which limited his ability to breathe.

In 2020 — when the Kentucky Derby was delayed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic — King Guillermo was scratched days before the race due to a fever.

Overall, there were five horses this year that scratched out of the Kentucky Derby following Monday’s post-position draw.

This is the most scratches in a Derby since 1936.

Both Uncle Mo and Forte have Mike Repole has an owner.

This story was originally published May 6, 2023 at 1:44 PM.

Cameron Drummond

Lexington Herald-Leader

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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