Setback takes Mask out of Risen Star

The unbeaten 3-year-old colt Mask, considered a top prospect for the Kentucky Derby, has had a setback “that will require him to miss approximately two weeks of training,” trainer Chad Brown said Tuesday.

Brown said the timing of the setback, details of which he did not want to disclose, would keep Mask out of his next scheduled start, the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 17.

“He’s unfortunately had a setback,” Brown said of Mask, who did not work last weekend after recording a half-mile breeze in 49.75 seconds on Jan. 20 at Palm Meadows, his first work after winning the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 6.

“The timing is very unfortunate,” Brown said. “He’s expected to be 100 percent very soon. I won’t make any decisions about his next race until I see him breeze.”

The Risen Star would have been the first two-turn race for Mask. The Mucho Macho Man is a one-turn mile, and in his only other start, Mask won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Belmont on Oct. 20.

Mask earned a 92 Beyer Figure for his win in the Mucho Macho Man and an 88 for his maiden victory.

The Risen Star is worth 85 points over all – including 50 to the winner – on the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the starting field for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Mask has yet to earn any points.

Brown, who last Thursday was named the Eclipse Award-winning trainer for 2017 – his second straight title – got his first Triple Crown race win last year when Cloud Computing captured the Preakness Stakes.

Brown’s top prospect for the Kentucky Derby is Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and 2-year-old champion Good Magic, who is scheduled to make his first start of the year in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on March 3.