
Fulleffort has been scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Derby due to a bone chip in his left hind ankle, requiring surgery. Ocelli will take his place in the race.
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 30: Ocelli trains on the track during morning workouts ahead of the running of the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 30, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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Until yesterday morning, stalwart Kentucky Derby trainer Brad Cox was doing a fair impression of a few trainers of old with three solid contenders studding the gate in the $5 million 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, but late on April 30, his outside horse, the fetching silvery roan colt Fulleffort, who won the one-and-an-eighth-mile Jeff Ruby Steaks for Cox with a time of 1:49.94, was out jogging Thursday morning and Cox thought he seemed to be favoring his left hind ankle. A swift subsequent X-ray found a bone chip in his left hind ankle. It will require surgery and will cause him to miss the Derby, the two subsequent Triple Crown races, and the rest of the summer.
âMain thing is heâs fine,â Cox said, while noting that the surgery would be minor, and that it was never good timing. âEasy decision to withdraw from the Derby. Weâll get that cleaned up and hopefully have a fresh horse for next fall.â
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - APRIL 29: Fulleffort trains on the track during morning workouts ahead of the running of the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 29, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Fulleffort had been breaking from the 19th stall in the gate, having been moved in one stall from his original post of the 20-hole as Great White drew into the gate on April 28. Fulleffortâs saddle cloth number 20 will be retired. Great White now moves into Fulleffortâs stall 19, and Ocelli, trained by Whit Beckman, pulls into Great Whiteâs outside post No. 20. As per the Churchill drill, Ocelli will run under saddle cloth number 22.
Below, the revised field for the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
Fulleffort was scratched due to a bone chip found in his left hind ankle, which requires surgery.
Ocelli will draw in to replace Fulleffort in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
Fulleffort will miss the Kentucky Derby, the subsequent Triple Crown races, and the rest of the summer due to his injury.
Trainer Brad Cox stated that Fulleffort's surgery would be minor and expressed hope for a fresh horse for next fall.


El Rayo sobrevive a errores arbitrales y sigue soñando en una semana clave
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(Saddle Cloth, (Revised Post Position), Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Morning Line)
Renegade, Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, 4-1
Albus, Manny Franco, Riley Mott, 30-1
Intrepido, Hector Berrios, Jeff Mullins, 50-1
Litmus Test, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 30-1
Right To Party, Christopher Elliott, Kenny McPeek, 30-1
Commandment, Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 6-1
Danon Bourbon, Atsuya Nishimura, Manabu Ikezoe, 20-1
So Happy, Mike Smith, Mark Glatt, 15-1
The Puma, Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado, 10-1
Wonder Dean, Ryusei Sakai, Daisuke Takayanagi, 30-1
Incredibolt, Jaime Torres, Riley Mott, 20-1
Chief Wallabee, Junior Alvarado, William Mott, 8-1
SCRATCH Silent Tactic, Cristian Torres, Mark Casse, 20-1 SCRATCH
(13) Potente, Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert, 20-1
(14) Emerging Market, Flavien Prat, Chad Brown, 15-1
(15) Pavlovian, Edwin Maldonado, Doug O'Neill, 30-1
(16) Six Speed, Brian Hernandez Jr., Bhupat Seemar, 50-1
(17) Further Ado, John Velasquez, Brad Cox, 6-1
(18) Golden Tempo, Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux, 30-1
(19) SCRATCH Fulleffort, Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox, 20-1 SCRATCH
(19) Great White, Alex Achard, John Ennis, 50-1
(20) Ocelli, J. Ramos, Whit Beckman, 50-1
This article was originally published on Forbes.com