Kentucky Derby 2025: Tappan Street out with fracture suffered in training

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tappan Street, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner and major player for the Kentucky Derby, suffered a condylar fracture to his right foreleg as the result of a workout Saturday morning at Churchill Downs and will miss the race, his connections said Saturday.

The injury is not considered life threatening or career ending. Tappan Street was scheduled to undergo surgery Sunday at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

Tappan Street worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, the work being delayed due to Churchill’s main track being wet earlier in the morning. Trainer Brad Cox said jockey Luis Saez felt the horse was off in his right front and X-rays taken revealed the injury.

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“It’s part of [the game], we’re just focused on getting him moved,” Cox said. “I really don’t think it’s a big issue. Anytime you put a horse under anesthesia it’s always something but I feel pretty confident that he’s going to be just fine.”

Elliott Walden, president of WinStar Farm, which co-owns Tappan Street with China Horse Club, said Dr. Larry Bramlage is expected to perform surgery on Sunday at the Rood and Riddle Equine Clinic. Walden said "it’s naturally disappointing, but it’d be a lot more disappointing if something happened in the Derby,” he said. “The horse is going to be okay.”

Walden said, provided there are no complications from the surgery, Tappan Street is likely to race again but perhaps not until next year.

“We won’t rush him back,” Walden said.

With Tappan Street out of the Derby, that opened a slot for Render Judgment to get into the body of the field. On Friday, trainer Kenny McPeek said Render Judgement was not going to be entered but later that day McPeek said the owners of the horse expressed a desire to run. Render Judgement is owned by Dream Walkin Racing, which is now managed by the estate of the late country singer Toby Keith, Baccari Racing, MJM Racing, and Rocket Ship.

On Saturday, Render Judgment worked five furlongs in 59.03 seconds under Julien Leparoux, who was named to ride him.

Render Judgement finished second in the Virginia Derby and fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Baeza still needs one defection to get into the field.

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