Fever takes Maycocks Bay out of Kentucky Derby prep at Oaklawn

Morning-line favorite Maycocks Bay was diagnosed with a fever Friday and will be scratched from the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, a Kentucky Derby 2024 points prep Saturday at Oaklawn.

Trainer Michael Stidham confirmed in a Saturday morning text message what Daily Racing Form’s Mary Rampellini first reported.

Fair odds: See where true value lies in Southwest Stakes.

A homebred Godolphin colt sired by Speightstown, Maycocks Bay most recently won by 10 3/4 lengths in an off-the-turf allowance race Jan. 7 at Fair Grounds. He broke his maiden four starts back at Parx Racing.

Maycocks Bay’s exit leaves 11 entrants in the Southwest. Wynstock, the winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), inherits the favorite’s role. The Solomini colt trained by Bob Baffert was the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.

The Southwest is worth 20-10-6-4-2 Derby qualifying points to the top five eligible finishers. Because Baffert-trained horses are ineligible, any points Wynstock might earn would be vacated.

The National Weather Service said up to a half-inch of rain is certain to fall today at Oaklawn, where the Southwest is scheduled to be run Saturday at 5:42 p.m. EST.