LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The cast of characters for the 149th Kentucky Derby was rewritten again hours before the race Saturday when early favorite Forte was scratched.
It was the fifth scratch from the Derby in the days leading up to the $3 million race for 3-year-olds. Five horses have died at Churchill Downs in recent days.
A horse in Saturday’s second race, 3-year-old Chloe’s Dream, “went wrong” leaving the first turn, pulled up and was taken off the track in an equine ambulance, according to the Equibase results chart.
Forte had been the early 3–1 favorite; his absence reduces the field to 18 horses for the 1 1/4-mile race….