King Guillermo out of Kentucky Derby after spiking fever

After missing his scheduled Thursday morning gallop, King Guillermo will be scratched from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, his trainer said Thursday evening.

“Unfortunately he will be out of the Kentucky Derby (because of) a fever yesterday which I have not gotten out of this great dream,” Juan Carlos Ávila said in a text message to HRN. “I feel that I have one of the best 3-year-olds in this country, and this will not be the day to show it.” 

Word of King Guillermo’s absence from the track was made known by Derby pool reporter Greg Hall in a social-media post Thursday morning. At the time it was expected that the Uncle Mo colt would get a veterinary examination before a final decision was made. 

Asked if the Oct. 3 running of the Preakness might be a possibility, Ávila responded with two prayer emojis.

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Coming off the turf, King Guillermo made a splash on the Triple Crown trail when defied 49-1 odds in March to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). He followed that with a runner-up finish to Nadal in one division of the Arkansas Derby (G1).

Ávila then decided to rest King Guillermo and train the four months up to the Kentucky Derby. His colt looked ready to go when he turned in two bullet breezes last month at Churchill Downs before he produced a more modest maintenance work Saturday.

Owned by former Major League Baseball All-Star Víctor Martínez, King Guillermo was going to be ridden by Samy Camacho. That would have meant an all-Venezuela team of connections, bringing back memories of Cañonero II, the 1971 Derby winner also from Venezuela. 

“Our King Guillermo sooner than later will be deciding the best races in this country,” Ávila said. “God willing we will be back.”