Churchill Downs
Pletcher's Battalion Runner, Malagacy won't run in Kentucky Derby
Coady Photography Oussama Aboughazale owns and bred Rebel winner Malagacy.
Battalion Runner and Malagacy both will not run in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher said Saturday. Their defections put Lookin At Lee and Sonneteer in the field, with Royal Mo on the bubble.
Pletcher said he made the decisions after conferring with the owners of both colts.
Battalion Runner, he said, did not work satisfactorily on Friday. Pletcher said he had not been as sharp as he was before the Wood Memorial, in which he was second. He said Battalion Runner would be freshened at WinStar Farm and would return in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont July 8.
Malagacy will be pointed to the Preakness and work Friday, Pletcher said.
