Lil’s Lad Will Miss Derby Because of Ankle Injury
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Lil’s Lad, one of the favorites to win the Kentucky Derby, will miss the race at Churchill Downs on May 2 because of a chipped bone in his left front ankle.
After undergoing arthroscopic surgery, Lil’s Lad will miss the entire Triple Crown series and probably won’t return to action until fall.
A heavy favorite in Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Lil’s Lad bore out in the stretch, allowing Halory Hunter to move through on the rail and beat him by 2 1/2 lengths. Jerry Bailey, Lil’s Lad’s jockey, suspected that something was wrong after the race and X-rays revealed the injury Monday.
With Lil’s Lad sidelined, Bailey has replaced Shane Sellers as Cape Town’s jockey for trainer Wayne Lukas in the Derby.
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