Favorite Tiz the Bomb scratched from Kentucky Jockey Club

Louisville, Ky.

Tiz the Bomb, the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Derby prep at Churchill Downs, was scratched from the race because of a physical setback, trainer Kenny McPeek said on social media.

"We're about 90 percent sure it's just an infection," McPeek told Horse Racing Nation about 2 1/2 hours before post time for the Grade 2, $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, a 10-4-2-1 points prep for the 2002 Derby. "His left leg was inflamed. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's an infection. We put him on some light antibiotics, just prudence says no."

Second this month in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, the 2-year-old Hit It a Bomb colt owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III was entered to make his first start on dirt since graduating in a race taken off the turf at Ellis Park July 2. He had since won two times on the grass, including the Bourbon (G2) on Oct. 10 at Keeneland, before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

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By default, Classic Causeway (7-2) and Howling Time (7-2) became the new co-favorites using the original morning line. With Mannix (20-1) and Rich Strike (50-1) already scratched, 11 horses are left in the Kentucky Jockey Club, scheduled for 5:56 p.m. EST.

Tiz the Bomb, who would have been ridden Saturday by Brian Hernandez Jr., is also in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, carrying 23-1 odds at the time of McPeek's announcement.

"If these things are going to pop up like that, I'd rather we know before the race than after," McPeek said, noting that he did not believe the infection would be a major setback.