Kentucky Derby 2025: Grande is scratched due to foot bruise

Grande was scratched from Kentucky Derby 2025 because of a foot bruise.

Kevin Kerstein of Churchill Downs publicity announced the scratch Friday morning via a post on X.

This is the second time in the last three years that a horse trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby after entering. In 2023, morning-line favorite Forte was scratched by veterinarians on the morning of the Kentucky Derby.

Owner Mike Repole posted a statement on X Friday morning, saying that he was "baffled and confused" by the criteria for Kentucky Derby scratches. He mentioned that Grande had a "slight cracked heel" during the week but had been improving, and he described results of a Monday X-ray and Thursday PET scan as "clean."

The scratch means no more than 19 horses will run in the Kentucky Derby. Baeza was entered as an also-eligible, but the scratch of Rodríguez on Thursday opened a spot for Baeza to run.

Grande, a son of Curlin out of the War Front mare Journey Home, earned his spot in the Kentucky Derby by virtue of a second-place finish behind Rodriguez in the Wood Memorial (G2). That was his stakes debut. Before that, he had won maiden special weight and first-level allowance races at Gulfstream.