Trainer Nick Zito made the scratch official Friday morning, about three hours before advance wagering was to begin on the Preakness. The Cliff's Edge would have started from post 4. Pimlico officials said the horses drawn to outside of The Cliff's Edge would move down one spot in the starting gate.

Zito first noticed a problem on Wednesday morning, but owner Robert LaPenta agreed to pay the $10,000 entry fee to buy some more time in hopes an abscess would pop, thus causing relief.

"It didn't get any better this morning," Zito said Friday outside his barn. "Yesterday afternoon we were really feeling happy because he was his normal self, he was kicking around the barn and everything and today he just wasn't that way."

The Cliff's Edge finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby despite losing both front shoes at different points in the race. The horse appeared to have come out of the Derby no worse for wear, but a strong four-furlong breeze at Churcihll Downs on Sunday morning may have helped bring the injury to light.

"The track was probably fast and it probably festered there," Zito said. "I'm just hoping that now we pulled the shoes, he gets through all this, we'll see what happens in the next couple of days."

Zito refused to speculate whether the injury would prevent The Cliff's Edge from running in the Belmont Stakes on June 5.