Grade 3-placed Flying Mohawk, a runner in this spring's Kentucky Derby (G1), will be scratched from an intended start in the $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course after undergoing emergency colic surgery the morning of July 2.
The news was announced on X by MLB all-star and World Series champion Jayson Werth, who co-owns the 3-year-old Karakontie colt as Two Eight Racing with Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing.
"He's recovering well thanks to (trainer) Whit (Beckman's) team but will scratch from the Belmont Derby," Werth said in the post. "Being new to the sport, I'm just thankful he's gonna be ok."
Flying Mohawk had been the 6-1 co-fourth choice on the morning line from post 8 for what was supposed to be his first start since the May 3 Kentucky Derby. In that start, which was his first on dirt, he never got comfortable on a sloppy surface and finished a distant 18th.
Since then, Beckman had scratched the colt from two prior entries: the June 7 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Saratoga after it was shifted from the turf to the dirt due to rain, and the June 28 American Derby at Churchill Downs, which was skipped in favor of the Belmont Derby.
Prior to the Derby, Flying Mohawk was runner-up to Final Gambit, the Belmont Derby's 5-2 morning-line favorite, in the March 22 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park.
