Kafwain out of Derby field

Kafwain, the third place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby, was declared from the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday after he pulled up with an apparent injury following a five-furlong workout with stablemate Indian Express.

The preliminary diagnosis is that Kafwain has suffered an injury to the check ligament of his right foreleg, according to Richard Mulhall, the racing manager of The Thoroughbred Corp.

"It just happened today," Mulhall said. "He had been perfect. It looks like there is a little filling there."

Kafwain worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds.

"We noticed he was just a tad off," trainer Bob Baffert said. "I didn't look bad but with this thing, you can't chance it."

A winner of 4 of 11 starts and $715,848, Kafwain was considered an outsider for the Kentucky Derby. A two-time stakes winner last year and the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Arlington Park, Kafwain had one win in three starts this year. He scored a convincing win in the San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 1, but was second in the Louisiana Derby (later disqualified from the prize money because of a positive test) and third in the Santa Anita Derby.

Since that race, Kafwain missed a week of training because of illness, but had been training steadily for the last two weeks.

The absence of Kafwain will prevent The Thoroughbred Corp. from attempting to become the first owners since Meadow Stable (1972-73) to repeat as winners of the Kentucky Derby.