Kentucky Derby trail: Litmus Test will miss Southwest

Litmus Test, the morning-line favorite for Friday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn, will be scratched from the Kentucky Derby points prep, track announcer Matt Dinerman reported on X.

Trained by Bob Baffert and 5-2 on the morning line, Litmus Test would have made his first start since winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December. Before that, the Nyquist colt was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Kentucky Derby watch: Ted Noffey injury leaves no clear favorite

The defection leaves Buetane as Baffert's only entrant in the Southwest. The son of Tiz the Law was the third choice on the morning line at 4-1 after finishing second in both the San Vicente (G2) and Hopeful (G1).

The second choice on the morning line was D'Code, at 3-1. Trained by Ray Ashford, his only start was an 8 1/4-length win in a maiden special weight at Oaklawn on Dec. 14.

The Southwest originally was scheduled for last Saturday but was postponed because of extreme cold. It is one of four Kentucky Derby points preps this weekend, along with the rescheduled Withers at Aqueduct on Friday and the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay downs and Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita on Saturday.