Uncle Mo scratched from Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- It's no go for Uncle Mo.

On Friday morning, owner Mike Repole said the ailing 2010 2-year-old champion was being withdrawn from Saturday's 137th Kentucky Derby.

"When I envisioned this press conference, and I did envision it, it was supposed to be Saturday night at about 7:15, not around 9 Friday morning," the Nassau County resident said at Churchill Downs. "About a half-hour ago, Todd [Pletcher] scratched Uncle Mo.''

Uncle Mo's status for the Preakness and Belmont Stakes is uncertain.

After he lost for the first time in five career starts April 9 in the Wood Memorial, veterinarians diagnosed a gastrointestinal tract infection. Uncle Mo was put on antibiotics and for a while appeared to be regaining top form.

Drs. Doug Byars, Ken Reed and Steve Allday examined him again Thursday. "The vets gave us three different opinions, and said he was physically sound and could run,'' Repole said. "But as soon as they left, Todd said, 'I don't want to run this horse.' Todd didn't like his weight, his coat or his energy. The decision was easy because Todd said he wasn't running."

Pletcher, America's leading trainer, rarely shows much emotion, but he was crestfallen. "It's very, very, very disappointing,'' he said. "I take it as a personal failure. I feel bad for Mike. He gave us every possible resource to solve the problem, and we just ran out of time. Uncle Mo has something going on inside him, and I don't know what it is. The best vets in the world don't know what it is, and that scares me.

"We took him off his meds the past few days and he hasn't done as well since. The vet tests have shown one particular enzyme is elevated and it usually has something to do with kidney or liver problems."

For the third consecutive year, the top-rated 3-year-old did not make it to the Derby starting gate. Two years ago, an ankle problem led to the scratch of I Want Revenge the morning of the race. Last year, Eskendereya suffered a career-ending leg injury a week before Derby Day. Like Uncle Mo, Eskendereya was trained by Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez. Now Johnny V. will be on Animal Kingdom in the Derby, replacing Robby Albarado (broken nose).

"I told Johnny about the scratch and he took it like the classy individual he is," Pletcher said. "He said he wanted the best thing for the horse.''

After a 41/4-length runaway in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill that locked up the division championship as a 2-year-old, Uncle Mo was the overwhelming early favorite for the Derby. He romped by 4¾ in his 3-year-old debut March 12 at Gulfstream, and next was the Wood. Although he looked like a sure thing and went off at the lowest possible odds (1-20), he weakened in midstretch and finished third.

"The Wood was the first time we could see something was not right," Pletcher said. "He's too special a horse, and we've got to focus on getting him right. The primary focus is to diagnose what's going on. Right now, we have no race plans, period."

Repole and Pletcher still have 20-1 shot Stay Thirsty in the Derby, but he's always been their distant No. 2.

"My hope is that Uncle Mo can get back to what he was," Repole said. "Maybe if he gets better, he can win the Jim Dandy, Travers and Breeders' Cup Classic and be Horse of the Year."

Plum Pretty wins Oaks. Plum Pretty, ridden by Martin Garcia, held off St. John's River, with Rosie Napravnik, by a neck to take the $1-million, Grade I Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies before a crowd of 110,122. Bob Baffert trains the winner, who paid $14.60 after running 11/8 miles in 1:49.50.