Kentucky Derby favourite Life Is Good sidelined for a few months after setback

Kentucky Derby favourite Life Is Good has been ruled out of the race and his bid for the Triple Crown after suffering an injury setback during a workout at Santa Anita on Saturday, according to reports in the United States.

The three-year-old had been 4-1 favourite for the Kentucky Derby on May 1 after an eight-length victory in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita earlier this month, although trainer Bob Baffert initially only ruled him out of the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 before further reports emerged.

Life Is Good's owner Elliot Warden, of WinStar Farm, confirmed in a text to Horse Racing Nation that Life Is Good would be "out for a few months".

The son of Into Mischief had already accumulated 60 Derby points making him eligible for the race even if he didn’t run in the Santa Anita Derby, but he will now travel to Kentucky for further examination.

Bob Baffert: trainer of Life Is Good

Baffert did confirm that the injury was not career-threatening and Life Is Good would return to the track.

"There is always a possibility every day we go to work, but he's going to be fine," Baffert said. "It's disappointing because he's such an exciting horse."

This marks the third year in a row a short-priced horse in Derby futures has suffered an untimely setback.

In 2019 Omaha Beach (7-2) developed a cough and was scratched by trainer Richard Mandella three days before the Derby. Nadal (4-1) and Charlatan (5-1), both from the Baffert stable, were taken off the Triple Crown trail eight days apart last spring.

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