Eskendereya scratched from the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby has lost its big favorite for Sunday, the chestnut 3-year Eskendereya.

His trainer Todd Pletcher, ever victorious in 24 participations in spite of four awards won for Best Coach of the United States, said the colt suffered a wound to front left.

The problem has shown its seriousness in training after a gallop last Saturday kept wet during the night, the wound is inflamed and Pletcher in the morning after he was forced to inform the horse owner, Ahmed Zayat, the worrying conditions.

And just hours after came the announcement of the withdrawal of that same Pletcher has called “the best horse he had” ever coached. ” Eskendereya had approached the great event of the Run for the Roses won the Fountain of Youth and the Wood Memorial.

Likely Kentucky Derby favorite Eskendereya was scratched from the Run for the Roses on Sunday due to a leg injury, according to the Associated Press.

Eskendereya had noticable swelling on his left front leg, which was compared to a sprained ankle in a human, the report said.

“We were still kind of hoping for a miracle overnight and we didn’t get it,” trainer Todd Pletcher told reporters at a news conference Sunday morning. “It’s the worst of timing.”

Eskendereya was projected to be the Derby favorite after winning the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial by more than a combined 18 lengths. The New York Times reported that Mike Battaglia, the oddsmaker for the Churchill Downs racetrack, was going to make Eskendereya a 2-1 favorite.