Morello will miss Kentucky Derby because of injury

Louisville, Ky.

Graded-stakes winner Morello, whwas 15th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 50 points, will bypass the first leg of the Triple Crown with a foot problem, trainer Steve Asmussen confirmed Sunday.

Asmussen said the son of Classic Empire blew a shoe when finishing sixth in the April 9 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct and that the plan was to “back off” the Gotham Stakes (G3) winner for the time being.

“The foot isn’t 100 percent,” the Hall of Fame conditioner said. “We’re going to do what’s right by him, try and get some healthy foot growing out on him. He’s too good a horse.”

Owned by Blue Lions Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor and Diamond T. Racing, Morello won the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes on Feb. 6 to begin his sophomore campaign and captured the Gotham at Aqueduct on March 5 to earn his Derby qualifying points. The Wood Memorial was the first loss for the chestnut colt in four career starts.

With Morello’s defection, Louisiana Derby (G2) third-place finisher Pioneer of Medina moves into the 20th spot, with 25 points. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the son of Pioneerof the Nile is slated to work at Churchill Downs on Monday, and “the intention is if he trains accordingly, the plan is to run.

“We need to see him breeze tomorrow and make sure we're happy with that,” Pletcher added. “He had a good gallop this morning. He’s a horse who has always trained well, he’s improved in each race. I think the Fair Grounds form is holding up strongly, and he was competitive in those races. He needs to move forward again, but we like what we’ve been seeing.”

Owned by Sumaya U.S. Stables, Pioneer of Medina won an allowance race at Fair Grounds on Jan. 22 and was fourth in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), beaten a head for third by eventual Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Zandon.