This year's Kentucky Derby winner, Country House, will not race in the Preakness Stakes due to health concerns, according to his trainer.
The champion horse is currently coughing and his blood profile is not normal, his trainer, Bill Mott, told ABC News. The Preakness Stakes, the second round of the Triple Crown, is set for May 18. Country House was determined the Derby winner when a controversial decision disqualified Maximum Security, the first horse to cross the finish line, after a review found Maximum Security veered out of his path on the final turn.Maximum Security will not race in the Preakness Stakes either, his co-owner, Gary West, told the Associated Press on Monday.
There is"really no need" for Maximum Security to run the Preakness, West told the AP, since he will not have a chance to go for the Triple Crown.ABC News' Courtney Condron contributed to this report.
Good!
And ratings for the Preakness just went down the toilet.
So unfortunate that this happened. This years next 2 big races will be a little more than a trot around the track drawing less spectators and betting.
Who didn’t see that coming? That horse probably won’t win another race, I don’t see how it qualified to run in the derby. Maximum Security shouldn’t bother being entered in the Preakness after his win was stolen from him. Just my opinion.
The trainer never won a Derby, and he got his wish at 65. He probably knows this horse won't win the Preakness, and wouldn't deserve the Triple Crown if he did... whole thing is just dirty
Well, isn’t that convenient.
The truth is that his trainer is filled with shame.
or he doesn't want to show he's not really a winner
Will anyone bother to watch the Preakness after the Kentucky Derby disaster? Little is at stake for the casual fan.
Of course
Too much steroids
and a dry track