Eskendereya out of Derby

Wood Memorial (G1) hero ESKENDEREYA (Giant's Causeway) will miss

Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher revealed Sunday.

Expected to be an overwhelming favorite in the Run for the Roses, the

chestnut colt came back from his Saturday morning gallop with filling in

his left front leg. After it didn't to respond to treatment overnight,

the decision was made to remove him from consideration on Sunday

morning.

"Toughest call I've ever had to make to an owner," Pletcher said,

summing up the gut-wrenching end to one of the unhappiest mornings of

his professional career.

"He has a filling in his left front leg -- from his ankle to his knee

-- and he will not be running," the trainer said. "I spoke to Mr. Zayat

(owner Ahmed Zayat of Zayat Stables) this morning and told him the bad

news.

"The horse isn't lame; I wouldn't call it that. He's slightly off.

His last couple of gallops have not been up to par. We're hopeful that

this is not career threatening. We'll do further diagnostics and see.

"He's not uncomfortable. We jogged him early this morning and he just

appeared to be slightly off. We knew then that we couldn't go forward."

"He's too special of a horse to take any chances," Pletcher said.

The conditioner said they'll wait a couple of days for the swelling to

subside before administering tests to determine the full extent of the injury.

Speculation about possible leg problems with the horse first surfaced when he

ran in front wraps in the Wood Memorial in New York on April 3, a race he won by

almost 10 lengths. Pletcher subsequently stated that he had only put the

bandages on his horse because another of his runners earlier on the New York

card had burned his heels, or "run down," racing on the Aqueduct racetrack.

Asked about the wraps again Sunday, Pletcher stated: "I'll let his Wood

performance speak for itself.

"The thing that is so disappointing is that I know a mile and one

quarter -- even a mile and one-half -- was well within his range," the

trainer noted. "Without a doubt, he's the best horse we've ever brought

to this stage."

Eskendereya, who had romped by 8 1/2 lengths in the February 20

Fountain of Youth S. (G2) prior to his Wood conquest, was coming up to

the Kentucky Derby with four wins in six starts and $725,700 in

earnings.

Eskendereya's injury leaves John Velazquez without a Derby mount at the

moment, but he would ride the Pletcher-trained filly DEVIL MAY CARE (Malibu

Moon) if her connections opt for the Derby over Friday's Kentucky Oaks (G1), a

scenario that appeared more likely Sunday.

Pletcher noted that the favorite's withdrawal "swings the pendulum toward her

running (in the Derby)."

Devil May Care, the winner of last year's Frizette S. (G1) and the March 20

Bonnie Miss S. (G2), had worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on Saturday. Instead

of merely walking the day after a work, as many trainers choose to do with their

charges, she was again at the track early Sunday morning, jogging a mile under

exercise rider Horacio De Paz.

Two other Pletcher Derby candidates -- Louisiana Derby (G2) victor MISSION

IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled's Song) and Risen Star S. (G2) scorer DISCREETLY MINE

(Mineshaft) -- both jogged a mile early Sunday. The former, who was handled

again by Kevin Willey, had drilled five panels in 1:00 1/5 on Saturday. The

latter, who had Obed Perez up Sunday for his exercise, had covered five furlongs

in his Saturday work in 1:00 2/5.