LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) 鈥� Silent Tactic is out of because of a foot injury, trainer Mark Casse said Wednesday, the first change to the field of 20 horses for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
on the morning line. His exit means Great White is in.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 run in the Kentucky Derby and not be 100%,鈥� Casse said at his barn at Churchill Downs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very, very slight. It鈥檚 very slight, so that鈥檚 the good news. The timing鈥檚 poor, but it鈥檚 not a big deal and that鈥檚 the most important thing.鈥�
Casse compared the horse鈥檚 ailment to a fingernail separation, which is painful and enough to lead to him and owner John Oxley to make the decision to scratch Silent Tactic more than 72 hours before the race.
“It wasn鈥檛 a tough decision,” Casse said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not tough because we鈥檙e always going to try to do what we feel is best for the horse, Mr. Oxley and our entire group.鈥�
The most difficult part for Casse is this means jockey Cristian Torres will have to wait to ride in the Kentucky Derby for the first time. Casse said the call to skip the Derby was made early to allow preparations to begin to run Silent Tactic in the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16.
鈥淭oday we start preparing for the Preakness,鈥� Casse said. 鈥淎nd the quicker we made the decision 鈥� we could鈥檝e held on for another day or two 鈥� but then it would slow down our chances of getting to the Preakness.鈥�
The timing is beneficial for those around Great White, who was first on the also-entered list and was initially set as a 50-1 long shot.
“We鈥檙e just delighted to have confirmation that we did get in and we draw in so early,” trainer John Ennis told The Associated Press. 鈥淚t鈥檚 only Wednesday, so everybody鈥檚 thrilled and over the moon.鈥�
The big, and still growing, gray colt is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 4.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 need to be on the lead,鈥� Ennis said. 鈥淲e kind of thought he鈥檇 run big in the Blue Grass, and he kind of disappointed. He was flat the week prior, of the Blue Grass. He was kind of quiet himself and lacking in energy.鈥�
It has been an uncertain week for Ennis and his stable, not knowing if Great White would get to the starting gate on Saturday.
鈥淚t can be tough mentally in your mind to straighten things out and get things squared away,鈥� Ennis said. 鈥淚t’s not easy when you鈥檙e kind of sitting on the fence like that.鈥�
Jockey Alex Achard will make his Kentucky Derby debut aboard Great White, who by all accounts is doing well.
鈥淭he horse is fit and healthy and strong,鈥� Ennis said. 鈥淵es, he has to improve, but it鈥檚 the Kentucky Derby and if you鈥檙e not in, you can鈥檛 win.鈥�
___
AP horse racing:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
