Jaycito Out of Lexington Stakes, May Still Make Kentucky Derby

Added on Apr 21, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

Horse Racing

To the surprise of no one, the Bob Baffert trained Jaycito was officially scratched from Saturday’s $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. This is the second race that Jaycito has missed since suffering a foot injury after his second place finish in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita. He was scratched from a scheduled start in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9. His connections are still hoping that Jaycito will be able to make the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Jaycito looked to be a lock to start in the Derby earlier this season, but since his 2nd place run in the San Felipe his status has been very unclear after suffering a bruised right foot in training. At the time, his connections suggested that Saturday’s Grade 2 $200,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland would be his most likely next race. Unfortunately, every indication suggests that his foot injury hasn’t improved as hoped. He hasn’t worked since April 2, and hasn’t raced since the San Felipe on March 12. All in all, Jaycito has only been worked twice since his appearance in the San Felipe.

Trainer Bob Baffert said simply that Jaycito wasn’t ready for the race at Keeneland this weekend but wouldn’t rule him out of the Kentucky Derby at this point:

“He just wasn’t quite ready for this. We are still pointing for the Derby, though.”

Jaycito was scheduled to ship to Kentucky this week and while Baffert didn’t give a specific date he said that his horse would be bound for the ‘Bluegrass State’ very soon:

“He’ll be on the next planeload from here”

Assuming that Jaycito is fit enough to enter the Kentucky Derby, his graded stakes earnings won’t be a concern. He already has $250,000 graded stakes earnings which will give him a place in the field at Churchill Downs on May 7. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters. If more than 20 horses submit an entry–and that is a very likely scenario this year–the 20 horses to run are determined by graded stakes winnings. This also means that should Jaycito not make the Kentucky Derby start that it would open up a spot for another horse to make the field.