LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Lexington Stakes winner King Fury will scratch from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, trainer Kenny McPeek said Friday.
“King Fury spiked a 104-degree fever this afternoon after he galloped this morning,” McPeek told Churchill Downs. “He went off his feed after he trained. I feel gutted for all of the people that worked to get him ready for this race. Unfortunately, he’s not 100% … We’ll regroup and point to another race.”
According to Churchill Downs, the scratch of King Fury will cause all horses to his outside of his No. 16 post position to move in one spot in the starting gate. The program numbers will remain the same.
The son of Curlin was 3-for-6 lifetime, including 1-for-1 this year with win on April 10 in the Lexington Stakes. King Fury was 20-1 in the morning line odds for Saturday’s 147th running.
King Fury is owned by Fern Circle Stables, Three Chimneys Farm and Sherri McPeek’s Magadelena Racing.
Based in Lexington, Kenny McPeek won the 2002 Belmont Stakes with Sarava and the 2020 Preakness Stakes with the filly Swiss Skydiver. His best Kentucky Derby finish was second with Tejano Run in 1995. McPeek trained 2002 favorite Harlan’s Holiday, who finished seventh. He last entered the Derby in 2013 when Java War finished 13th and Frac Daddy ran 16th.
Post time for Saturday’s Derby is 6:57 p.m. Eastern time. NBC’s coverage begins at 2:30 p.m.
