Robusta Horse Replaces Right To Party in Kentucky Derby

Robusta horse is in the Kentucky Derby starting gate after Right To Party was scratched by state regulatory veterinarians on Friday morning. The change lands a day before the GI Kentucky Derby and gives Chester Broman’s runner a place in Saturday’s field.

McPeek on Right To Party

Kenny McPeek said Right To Party had been under scrutiny all week. “They said he [Right To Party] was lame all week.”

McPeek also said veterinarians asked for an X-ray earlier in the week and then a PET-scan. He provided a copy of the PET-scan results, and the comments said the most significant finding was bilateral remodeling of the medial palmar condyles.

Those comments also said the finding was most likely not associated with an increased risk for breakdown, and that there was no contraindication to racing based on the current 18F-NaF PET scans. McPeek said, “I thought after the X-ray and the scan, we were fine.”

Robusta Gets the Gate

Robusta now takes the spot Right To Party earned by finishing second in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct. The move keeps the Derby field at 11 horses, with one horse out and one horse in.

McPeek, who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan, said the decision left him frustrated. “Why didn't they call it before everyone got here?” he said, adding, “I'm sorry for Mr. Broman.”

He also defended the horse itself: “This horse has never been medicated, injected, had a surgery.” “Is he a perfect jogger? No, but he's certainly not a risk of catastrophic breakdown.”

Kentucky Racing Scrutiny

The scratch also feeds into McPeek’s broader criticism of Kentucky regulatory scratches. He said, “They're not dealing with this in New York. This type of extreme doesn't exist in Florida, or Louisiana. Only Kentucky.”

McPeek said the state needs to address the issue and added, “I think the state has to address this at some point.” He said he had seen a larger pattern at Keeneland, citing 11 scratches on the last day and 10 on another earlier day, and pointed to a study showing regulatory vet scratches rising from one a day five years ago to five a day now.

He was blunt about the outlook. “I'm not optimistic.” McPeek said he plans to train for another eight years and then stop.