Kentucky Derby 2023: Continuar is scratched, King Russell is in

After a bad workout last week and a poor draw Monday, Continuar was scratched from Kentucky Derby 2023 Thursday, opening the door for King Russell to come into Saturday’s race.

King Russell earned his way on to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with a second-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1) one race after breaking his maiden in February on his fifth try. A son of Creative Cause trained by Ron Moquett, he will start to the far outside with Rafael Bejarano riding.

Gossip about Continuar’s impending defection rippled through Churchill Downs throughout the day Thursday. It was confirmed only after owners from Lion Race Horse could authorize the scratch during Friday business hours in Japan.

After a 50.0-second, half-mile workout last Wednesday left clockers less than impressed, Continuar’s trainer Yoshito Yahagi said this week, “I needed more time after shipping from UAE.”

Then came entries Monday, when Continuar got stuck in post 20, leaving Yahagi to say, “It’s not a good barrier draw.”

All this was preceded by red tape that prevented the Drefong colt from getting to Kentucky before April 8.

“It was really hard shipping from Dubai to America,” Yahagi said.

Continuar was the third defection from the Derby field Thursday. Practical Move was scratched after he was diagnosed with a mild fever. Cyclone Mischief, who finished third last month in the Florida Derby (G1), moved into the Derby starting gate for trainer Dale Romans.

Lord Miles was scratched later Thursday and trainer Saffie Joseph was suspended by Churchill Downs after the unexplained deaths of two of his horses at Churchill Downs in the last week. That scratch put Mandarin Hero in the starting gate for Saturday’s race.

King Russell was the last also-eligible for the Kentucky Derby. If there is another defection before Friday’s 9 a.m. EDT scratch deadline, the Derby will not have a full 20-horse field.