Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move was scratched from the Kentucky Derby on Saturday because he developed a slight fever after training Thursday.
“He spiked a temp on us,” trainer Tim Yakteen said. “He might have a bug and was reacting to it. But you have to do the right thing by the horse, that’s our focus. He’s such a gifted horse.”
Practical Move vaulted to the top of the Southern California 3-year-old list with a 2½-length win in the San Felipe after winning the Los Alamitos Futurity. He was then the even-money favorite for the Santa Anita Derby and won by a nose over Mandarin Hero.
Yakteen first thought something was wrong Thursday morning when the colt wasn’t eating with his normal intensity.
“When he didn’t jump into the feed tub we temped him and starting watching,” Yakteen said. “At first it was on the high normal side of 101. And then it was 101.8 and climbing. Once you get to 102 you’ve got concerns.
Yakteen said the normal temperature of a horse is between 100 and 100.4.
Owners Pierre and Leslie Amestoy declined to comment citing the state of their emotions right now.
“They are devastated,” Yakteen said. “It’s been such a wonderful journey and it’s just very difficult.”
The trainer said the horse will return later in the year.
With the scratch, Cyclone Mischief, trained by Dale Romans makes the 20-horse field. He will start in gate 20 and carry the number 21.
Yakteen also will start Reincarnate in the Derby. He won the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita and finished third in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby.
The deadline to scratch a horse and be replaced by another is 9 a.m. Friday. Mandarin Hero would be the next horse in the field.
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