Rodriguez, winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), has scratched from the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.
On X, Tom Ryan, part of the colt's ownership group, wrote, "Out of an abundance of caution, we have made a very tough decision to scratch our Derby horse, Rodriguez. He has a small but slightly sensitive foot bruise that will need a few more days. Therefore, we are resetting our plans and will target him for the Preakness."
The Preakness Stakes (G1) is the second leg of the Triple Crown May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.
Rodriguez was to break from post 4 with 12-1 odds Saturday for trainer Bob Baffert. He was one of two entries for the trainer who is making his return to the first leg of the Triple Crown since 2021. Baffert still has 2024 champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull in the Derby.
"It's still sinking in," Baffert said following a victory by Fort Bragg in the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes about an hour after the announcement. "I was really looking forward to running him in the Derby. You have to be just perfect. If you're gonna win this thing, you got to be perfect."
As a result of Rodriguez's scratch, Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Baeza is now part of the field of 20 for the 151st running of the Derby. All of the other entries will shift inward one gate position, placing Baeza on the outside. Post 20 has produced two winners of the Kentucky Derby, most recently with Rich Strike, another also-eligible that drew in, winning in 2022. The other horse to win from the outermost post is Baeza's broodmare sire, 2008 Derby winner Big Brown.
Baeza also provides his dam the unique opportunity to be the producer of two Kentucky Derby winners, and three American classic winners. Out of Big Brown mare Puca, Baeza is a McKinzie half brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch , both by Good Magic .
Robert Clay of Grandview Equine, co-owner of Baeza and breeder of Baeza, Mage, and Dornoch, liked his horse's chances if he got into the Derby.
"If he does get in the race, I think he'll be in the top five or six," Clay said. "The oddsmakers will look on him pretty favorably."
