Kentucky Derby scratches: How 2026 nearly matched record with four horses withdrawing

The build-up to the 152nd Kentucky Derby included plenty of anticipation, but a surprising number of horses included in the original field were forced to bow out.

Four horses were scratched ahead of the race, with The Puma becoming the fourth scratch early Saturday morning due to leg swelling about 12 hours before the start time.

While the first three horses to be scratched were replaced, The Puma was scratched too late for a replacement, narrowing the derby field down to 19.

Here's a look at the four horses scratched and how the 2026 Kentucky Derby threatened history.

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Most scratches in Kentucky Derby history

The 2026 Kentucky Derby's four scratches come in just behind the known record of five, set in 1936 and matched in 2023.

While record-keeping wasn't as reliable in the early years of the Kentucky Derby, the New York Times noted in 2023 that the race's five scratches matched the mark set in 1936. Only 14 horses raced in 1936, while 18 raced in 2023 with three replacements joining the field.

19 horses are set to run in the 2026 edition of the Kentucky Derby, with three horses replaced, but The Puma withdrew too late for anyone fill the void. It's the sixth time in eight years that fewer than 20 horses will race in the derby.

Here's what you need to know about the horses scratched from the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

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Kentucky Derby scratches 2026

Silent Tactic was scratched on Wednesday due to a bruised foot, and Fulleffort joined on Thursday when a bone chip in his left hind leg was discovered.

Concerns about Right to Party's right front leg made him the third scratch in the lead-up to the race on Friday, just before the deadline for a horse to be replaced upon withdrawal.

The Puma had the best odds of any of the four horses scratched before the Kentucky Derby, making Saturday's scratch a significant shift in the race outlook. Because the scratched was past the deadline to be replaced, The Puma's exit left only 19 horses in the field.

With The Puma out, Commandment, So Happy, Renegade, Further Ado and Chief Wallabee are part of a crowded group of favorites, followed closely by Emerging Market.