Getty Omaha Beach runs on the track during morning training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Omaha Beach, the odds-on favorite to win the Kentucky Derby this weekend, is officially a scratch. The colt had been tagged as the 4-1 favorite. According to Yahoo Sports, “Omaha Beach reportedly was coughing Wednesday morning, and an examination revealed an entrapped epiglottis.”
Churchill Downs Public Relations released the following statement on Twitter:
Breaking: morning line favorite Omaha Beach to scratch from @KentuckyDerby, according to trainer Richard Mandella. Colt to miss race with entrapped epiglottis. Was discovered after cough and scope. More to come. Mandella will meet with media at Barn 28 at 8 a.m. Thursday
The new favorite is Game Winner, a horse trained by Bob Baffert. Those odds are 5-1, followed by Roadster and Improbable at 6-1.
The jockey Mike E. Smith, Omaha Beach’s rider, said he heard the news around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday. As of 6:30 p.m., the horse was still in his barn on the backside of Churchill.
“The horse will be fine. He’s OK. It’s nothing life-threatening, which is the most important thing,” Smith said. “The other stuff, we’ll get over it.”
Here’s a full explanation on entrapped epiglottis and how it’s stopping Omaha Beach from competing this weekend.
What Is Entrapped Epiglottis? When Can Omaha Beach Return?
Epiglottis: A triangular-shaped cartilage that lies at the base of the airway just in front of the arytenoid cartilages which cover the airway during swallowing. It is normally located above (dorsal) the soft palate. #KyDerby
Churchill Downs PR also released on explanation of entrapped epiglottis in a tweet shortly after announcing the scratch. Dr. Bonnie Rush of Kansas State’s College of Veterinary Medicine is a “less common cause of respiratory noise and exercise intolerance.” Also, it’s likely, according to Rush, that a surgery could result in future races for Omaha Beach.
Surgical transection is generally curative, with a relapse rate of 5%. Some affected horses can race successfully with the condition.
According to Wag!, the recovery time for surgery is three to six weeks.
Treatment for this condition is straightforward and effective. Your horse can return to full health within 3-6 weeks after the treatment. You may need to continue the medication and your veterinarian will advise about further care. You may need a follow-up visit from them to ensure the surgery is healing and no infection has set in. As with any surgery, you need to allow your horse time to rest and relax. It is important to allow full healing before exercising.
The Preakness Stakes are just under three weeks away on May 18. That would likely be too swift of a timeline for the colt to return to racing, particularly without training. That likely means the only available race in the Triple Crown would be the Belmont Stakes on June 8 in New York.