Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Cairo Cat's off the trail
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Cairo Cat, who began the 2019 Kentucky Derby trail with a victory last September in Churchill Downs' Iroquois Stakes (G3), will not press on as a contender for the May 4 race, trainer Kenny McPeek announced Tuesday.
McPeek revealed on his Twitter account that the son of Cairo Prince "isn't 100%" and is being sent to Kentucky's Rood & Riddle for examination by Dr. Larry Bramlage.
"We will let Dr. Bramlage give us direction on (his) short and long (term) future," McPeek said, adding that the setback is "nothing major."
It's enough, however, to prevent the colt from returning in time to fully prep for the Derby.
Campaigned by Walking L Thoroughbreds, the $130,000 purchase broke his maiden at second asking Aug. 11 at Saratoga and from there went to the Iroquois. Under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., he caught pace-setting Tight Ten for a half-length win going two turns.
A previous setback prevented Cairo Cat from contending in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile -- the Iroquois win granted him a fees-paid berth -- but the colt was thought to be coming up on his first workout of 2019 until Tuesday's news.
McPeek still has on course Signalman, the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) winner stabled at Florida's Payson Park Training Center. Signalman is expected to make his 3-year-old debut in Gulfstream Park's March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2).
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