Montauk, a dazzling debut winner at Belmont Park in October, will miss the Kentucky Derby (G1) and wagering on him in this week’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Pool 2 has been suspended.
“The ownership group and (trainer) Todd (Pletcher) huddled up this morning and we decided that we are going to address a minor throat issue that will take him out of training for a few weeks,” said co-owner Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, who co-own the colt with Robert LaPenta, Twin Creek Racing Stables, and Bridlewood Farm.
“We were already on a tight enough schedule as it was and this will make him miss just enough time to not be ready for the Derby. However, by doing what’s best for the horse, we do hope to have a very serious animal on our hands for the second half of the year.”
A son of Medaglia d’Oro, Montauk won on debut by 11 1/4 lengths. He had recently recorded two workouts at Palm Beach Downs, including a half-mile breeze in :51 last Saturday.
The defection of Montauk leaves the KDFW with 22 individual wagering interests and the mutuel field (“All Others”) that includes all other foals from the crop of 2015.
