Kentucky Derby 2026 scratches: who's in, who's out
Two horses, Silent Tactic and Fulleffort, have been scratched from the Kentucky Derby field, leading to new entries.
Getting to the Kentucky Derby starting gate isn’t easy. Already this week, two horses weren't able to make it. The 152nd running of the Derby is Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs, and the field has already seen some changes.
Here’s everything you need to know about who’s in, who’s out and what it will mean for the race. The Scratch: Silent Tactic Silent Tactic was the first horse scratched from the 2026 Derby, withdrawn Wednesday by trainer Mark Casse with a bruised foot. Casse told the Daily Racing Form the colt would target the Preakness Stakes on May 16.
He had been one of the more intriguing longshots in the field. Silent Tactic finished first or second in all six career starts, including a runner-up finish to Derby favorite Renegade in the Arkansas Derby. The Sub: Great White A tall, gray colt trained by John Ennis, Great White moves into the field at post No.
19 with 50-1 odds. He finished fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes but earned his Derby qualifying points by winning the John Battaglia Memorial by a neck. The Scratch: Fulleffort Scratched Thursday morning by trainer Brad Cox, Fulleffort was diagnosed with a bone chip in his left hind ankle.