Why Kentucky Derby is down to 19 horses after disappointing news for The Puma
TL;DR
The Puma has been scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Derby, reducing the field to 19 horses. This announcement came less than 12 hours before the race.
Key points
- The Puma has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby
- The field is now down to 19 horses
- The announcement was made less than 12 hours before the race
Why Kentucky Derby is down to 19 horses after disappointing news for The Puma originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There isn't a worse time to get this news.
The Puma has been scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Derby.
The news came out Saturday morning, less than 12 hours before the race.
"We discovered some swelling in his leg due to a skin infection," his trainers announced. "It's incredibly disappointing but the swelling should go down within a day or two. It's just really bad timing."
It also leaves the Derby one horse short.
MORE:Secretariat's family tree includes 663 kids and 19 horses in this Derby
Why does the Kentucky Derby not have 20 horses?
The Puma's scratch came too late to add an alternate.
There had already been three scratches earlier in the week, and each of those had been replaced, so the field had remained at its maximum 20 before The Puma was scratched.
Now, though, this news sets the field up to be 19 horses, assuming no other late and unfortunate developments.
More Kentucky Derby news:
Q&A
Why was The Puma scratched from the Kentucky Derby?
The Puma was scratched from the Kentucky Derby due to disappointing news that has not been detailed.
How many horses are competing in the 2026 Kentucky Derby now?
There are now 19 horses competing in the 2026 Kentucky Derby following The Puma's withdrawal.
When was the announcement made about The Puma's scratch?
The announcement about The Puma being scratched was made less than 12 hours before the race on Saturday morning.
