Report: Runaway Ghost out of Kentucky Derby 2018 with injury

HRN Staff
Photo: Coady Photography

Runaway Ghost, who qualified to run in the 2018 Kentucky Derby by way of a win in last month’s Grade 3 Sunland Derby, will not move on to Churchill Downs, BloodHorse's Jeremy Balan reported Saturday.

The son of Ghostzapper recorded a six-furlong work earlier in the day, still stabled at Sunland Park. But after finishing the breeze in 1:13.80, trainer Todd Fincher noticed something was amiss.

According to BloodHorse, Fincher is nearly certain it’s a hairline fracture in Runaway Ghost’s shin.

Factoring in the results of Saturday's Derby prep races -- Oaklawn Park's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Keeneland's Grade 3 Lexington Stakes -- Churchill Downs updated its Derby leader board to reflect the news.

Now, multiple stakes winner Firenze Fire has re-joined the prospective field May 5 at Churchill Downs. Fourth-place Arkansas Derby finisher Combatant is next on the bubble should another contender drop out.

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