Why are only 19 horses running in the 2026 Kentucky Derby?
Well, this doesn't seem like a lot!
Only 19 horses are slated to compete at Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Why is that? That might seem like a lower number than usual, but The Puma was scratched for an illness on Saturday morning.
That's the fourth horse to leave the field before the annual Run for the Roses. Right to Party, Silent Tactic and Fulleffort have also been scratched before this year's Kentucky Derby. Four horses leaving the field seems like a lot, but that just gives the 19 horses in competition better odds to win the race outright.
Maybe these four horses will return to competition next year? Who is The Puma? The Puma is a racing horse who may or may not have very famous part-owners .
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why are only 19 horses running in the Kentucky Derby?