Report: Copper Bullet not under 2018 Kentucky Derby consideration

Copper Bullet, the Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner who missed the remainder of his 2-year-old season due to shin issues, is no longer under consideration to hit the 2018 Kentucky Derby trail, the Daily Racing Form reported Friday.

Per DRF, trainer Steve Asmussen has back off training the More Than Ready colt, a $200,000 purchase for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which recently retired Gun Runner following his Horse of the Year campaign.

Perhaps, as with Gun Runner, Copper Bullet will show his best after the Triple Crown series.

Copper Bullet returned to the work tab Jan. 5 and drilled consistently, but Asmussen told DRF it was "too much, too soon," with his last breeze on Feb. 12.

The horse hasn't finished worse than second in his four career starts.

David Fiske, owner Ron Winchell's racing manager, told HRN in January that if Copper Bullet “doesn’t get ready before the preps stretch out, chances are we aren’t going to break him out in a mile-and-an-eighth Grade 1.

“It’s possible we might miss the Derby and try the Preakness — something like that. It’s still all up in the air. It depends on if he stays healthy and continues to train how he’s training.”