Horse Racing – Kentucky Derby Favourite Ted Noffey Injured

This year’s Kentucky Derby trail has taken a dramatic turn as early favourite Ted Noffey, last year’s champion 2-year-old colt, has been sidelined. Suffering a bruised bone that has ruled him out of the Run for the Roses, the injury has sent shockwaves through the training and betting world alike.

Undefeated in key juvenile stakes like the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the grey colt and son of Into Mischief, was the people’s horse with sky-high expectations for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Spendthrift Farm. However, veterinarians have now confirmed the injury after the horse showed soreness after a workout.

A Three-Month Lay Off Ahead

This means Ted Noffey now heads into a three-month rest period that dashes the colt’s Derby dreams, but leaves hope for summer races like the Haskell or Travers – all as rival stables scramble to fill the void with the May 2nd race now wide open.

Golden Tempo is now the Derby favourite after Ted Noffey’s injury. The colt has shown strong form in recent breezes at Santa Anita, making him the focus for bettors ahead of May 2nd. Ventura argues Tempo’s consistent closing kick and pedigree make him unbeatable on the Churchill Downs oval.

BloodHorse editor Lenny Shulman declared, “The field is completely open now” after hearing about the favourite’s injury, with the horse-racing public reacting with a mixture of anger and excitement. Trained by Pletcher since its debut, the colt has racked up 40 qualifying points on the road to the Derby, dazzling fans in the process.