Baffert: No Belmont Stakes or Kentucky Derby for Charlatan

Charlatan, who has crossed the finish line first in all three of his starts including a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, will not make the Belmont Stakes on June 20 or the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 due to an ankle injury, trainer Bob Baffert said Saturday.

“He came up with an issue,” Baffert said. “We saw that he had a tiny aggravation there, I wouldn’t call it a chip. They’ll clear it up. It will take him out of the Derby picture. He’ll be back by the fall.”

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Baffert said Charlatan will have to undergo an arthroscopic surgery procedure and will be out of training for 45 days.

“It’s not even a flake,” Baffert said. “It’s in a spot where it’s irritating.”

Charlatan is the second major 3-year-old Baffert has had to pull off the Triple Crown trail in 10 days. Nadal, who won all four of his start including a division of the Arkansas Derby, suffered a condylar fracture to his left foreleg after completing a workout at Santa Anita on May 28.

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Charlatan, a son of Speightstown, won his debut on Feb. 16 by 5 3/4 lengths going six furlongs, earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. He came back to win a first-level allowance by 10 1/4 lengths on March 14, earning a 106 Beyer.

Charlatan then galloped to a six-length victory in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on May 2. Charlatan did test positive for a banned substance and could be disqualified from first by Arkansas officials pending the results of a split sample test requested by Baffert.

- additional reporting by Steve Andersen