Concert Tour out of Kentucky Derby, targets Preakness

Concert Tour, who suffered the first defeat of his career in the Arkansas Derby on April 10, was ruled out of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday by trainer Bob Baffert, who said the colt needed more time before being ready to be at his best.

Baffert said the plan as of now is to point to the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, on May 15, which would mean five weeks until his next start. The Derby is May 1, three weeks after the Arkansas Derby.

“We were disappointed in his run,” Baffert said of the Arkansas Derby. “He struggled. We’ll point to the Preakness. Three weeks is not enough time to get him ready. Don’t want to run until he’s really ready.”

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Concert Tour made his debut on Jan. 15, and won that and two subsequent starts before losing for the first time in his fourth career start. The demands of trying to go from an unstarted maiden in January to a Derby starter in less than four months proved too high a hurdle.

“I just think he needs a little extra time,” Baffert said.

Concert Tour is currently at Churchill Downs.

Concert Tour was bred and is owned by Gary and Mary West, who were disqualified from a Derby win two years ago when Maximum Security was ruled to have caused interference.

Baffert, who has won the Derby a record-equaling six times, will now have one starter in this year’s race, Medina Spirit, who was most recently second in the Santa Anita Derby.