Right to Party becomes third Kentucky Derby scratch, Robusta added
LOUSVILLE, Ky. — Another day, another change in the Kentucky Derby field, this one adding another Southern California horse to the starting gate.
Right to Party was scratched Friday morning, the third consecutive day a horse was scratched, following Silent Tactic and Fulleffort. The latest change removes Robusta from the also-eligible list, giving trainer Doug O’Neill a second horse for Saturday’s race.
Robusta, a local Calumet Farm sire sired by Accelerate, has only one maiden victory in five career starts. His best race came on March 7 at Santa Anita when he finished just a head behind Potente in the San Felipe Stakes at odds of 67-1. But in his next start, he faded to last in the Santa Anita Derby.
Emisael Jaramillo had originally been named to ride Robusta in the Kentucky Derby, but the Daily Racing Form reported that the jockey would fulfill his commitments Saturday at Santa Anita and that Cristian Torres would be aboard Robusta. Torres was to pilot Silent Tactic.
O’Neill, who won the Derby in 2012 and 2016, will also start Pavlovian, who won the Sunland Park Derby and finished second in the Louisiana Derby. Other Southern California-based Derby horses are Mark Glatt’s So Happy, Jeff Mullins’ Intrepido and Bob Baffert’s pair of Potente and Litmus Test.
Right to Party had to vacate the #5 post position, meaning every horse besides him would move to one spot. Robusta will be in 20th position.
