Mattress Mac's horse scratched from Derby Swelling in left front leg not thought to be career-threatening By FRED M. FAOUR Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle LOUISVILE - Jim McIngvale will have to wait a little longer for his first Kentucky Derby starter. Wimbledon, who was scheduled to start in Saturday's 130th running of the Derby, was scratched from the race today because of swelling in one of his legs. "This is the part of the business we never get used to," Wimbledon's trainer, Bob Baffert said at Churchill Downs. "They're fragile." According to Baffert, Wimbledon had a sore tendon in his left front leg, which probably happened when the horse went out for a routine gallop Thursday. The injury is not expected to be career-threatening, but it will eliminate Wimbledon's one chance to win the Kentucky Derby. The injury was discovered at roughly 5 a.m. CDT. "Isn't that terrible?" Baffert said. "There's no way to sugar-coat this thing." Baffert, a three-time Derby winner, will be without a horse in the race for the first time in eight years. Jockey Jerry Bailey is also without a mount, but he might be able to pick up another horse. McIngvale, however, will have to wait until next year. He had just gotten dressed and was ready to fly to Louisville when Baffert called with the news. "I was taking about 30 people and I just canceled that. I've got to sell the tickets," McIngvale said by cell phone. Now he plans to watch Saturday's race on television. "I've always been very determined," said McIngvale, who has several promising 2-year-olds in the pipeline. "I can't give up. We've got to retool and get back there next year." Said Baffert: "I'm more disappointed not only for my staff -- we were looking forward to it -- but the McIngvale family was really looking forward to it. We finally got Mac a good horse." Baffert said McIngvale was disappointed. "He knows the ups and downs of this game," he said. "It's not the end of the world for him." Wimbledon, winner of the Louisiana Derby, was 15-1 in the morning line for the Derby. He has two wins in seven career starts and earnings of $430,980.
I got a $12 boxed Exacta. If any of these 4 horses finish 1st and 2nd I will have a nice payday 10. Imperialism 6. Friends Lake 18. Tapit 12. Borrego
And of course I knew very little about the field (save for what I heard on Sportscenter this week)... I just LOVED his name for some reason.... It stuck out at me over the rest.
I think Baffert is f'd -- dude got caught again. He's allegedly had 30 positive tests over his career and 5+ at recent major events.
Everytime Baffert attempts to defend his latest horse steroid scandal I can't help but imagine juicy farmer's market plums ready for market.
My thing is no other horse was busted. The second thing is no matter how small the amount, some expert thought that was too much. And third, he won. So it's apparent to me that it made a difference. He's brazen and it almost comes off as innocent, but in the end, it is what it is. He is ruining the sport. Not the testers. As far as is it worth the aqueeze. That I don't know, but my guess is yes because he's turning his nose at the testing.
