King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), winner of this season's GII Tampa Bay Derby, will miss an intended date in this Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby because of a fever, Victoria's Ranch principle and former MLB player Victor Martinez confirmed Thursday afternoon.
The GII Tampa Bay Derby hero and runner-up in the faster division of the GI Arkansas Derby, King Guillermo was trying to defy a four-month absence in the 'Run for the Roses' Saturday, but he was found to have a fever Wednesday evening. The colt did not go to the track Thursday morning and walked the shedrow instead. Avila told pool reported Greg Hall that he would be conferring with doctors and that further information could be forthcoming Thursday afternoon.
“To race in a race like the Derby we need him at 100%,” Avila said. “We aren't going to be able to demonstrate how good he is like this. I think we are going to have plenty of time to show his quality. He's going to be a great horse and everybody knows we have to take care of the horse first. The next step is to try to get him ready for the Preakness and go from there.”
Martinez added, “The sad part is that Juan said yesterday was his best day here. When we left the track in the morning following training and came back in the afternoon for feed time, we discovered he had a fever. It's just the sad part about this game.”
A field of 17 remains for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The two inside stalls and the widest stall will be left open.
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