Kentucky Derby 151 sees second scratch, dropping field to 19 for Saturday's race

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader on May 2, 2025

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mike Repole’s Grande has scratched from Kentucky Derby 151 because of a foot bruise, trainer Todd Pletcher announced Friday morning.

Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez scratched Thursday evening, allowing Baeza to enter the field from his “also-eligible” spot. The scratch of Grande, who finished second in the Wood Memorial, brings the current field to 19 for Saturday’s race at Churchill Downs.

Pletcher has won two runnings of the Kentucky Derby — Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. A son of Curlin, Grande was to be ridden by jockey John Velazquez, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 on Animal Kingdom, 2017 on Always Dreaming and 2020 on Authentic.

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Grande won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 11 and an allowance race at Gulfstream on Feb. 27 before his second-place finish in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5.

Repole owned Fierceness, the favorite in last year’s Kentucky Derby who finished 15th.

Grande was 20-1 in the morning line after drawing post position No. 10 for the Kentucky Derby.