Scratch of Silent Tactic Opens Derby Door for Great White, a 50-1 Longshot

Key facts

• Silent Tactic scratched from the Kentucky Derby on April 29 with a foot issue.
• Great White, a 17.2-hand gelding, drew into the field and will start from post 20.
• Great White finished fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 4 at Keeneland.
• Great White won the Battaglia Memorial on Feb. 21 at Turfway Park.
• Trainer John Ennis is making his second Derby appearance after a 13th-place finish with Epic Ride in 2024.
• Silent Tactic had back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby after winning the Southwest Stakes.
• Great White is co-owned by Three Chimneys Farm and John Ennis; Three Chimneys is 0 for 3 in the Derby.
• Post time for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 2.

A Last-Minute Change at Churchill Downs

The field for the 2026 Kentucky Derby was reshuffled Wednesday morning when trainer Mark Casse scratched Silent Tactic, the winner of the Southwest Stakes and a runner-up in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby, due to a recurring foot problem. The decision, announced after Silent Tactic appeared uncomfortable during training, opened the door for Great White, a 50-1 longshot who had been listed as an also-eligible. Casse, a dual Hall of Fame trainer based in Louisville, said the issue—a separation between the wall of the hoof—had been a persistent concern for the Tacitus colt. “It’s kind of like, you ever get something under your nail? And it’s a little bit painful when he lands on it,” Casse explained. “The faster he goes the less it bothers him. He galloped yesterday and looked wonderful. But it’s just not going to work.”

Silent Tactic's Scratch: Disappointment for Owner and Jockey

Casse expressed particular disappointment for owner John C. Oxley, who at 89 years old won the Derby 25 years ago, and for jockey Christian Torres, who would have ridden in his first Derby. “Me? I’ve been doing this for 47 years. It’s just a bump in the road,” Casse said. “We’ll try and make this setback something good down the road. Maybe he’ll go on and win the Preakness.” Silent Tactic had drawn the No. 13 post position. With his withdrawal, the entire field slides down one spot, and Great White moves into the No. 20 post, the outermost gate. The scratch leaves the Derby with 20 starters, as is traditional.

Great White: A Late Addition with Modest Credentials

Great White, a massive gray gelding standing 17.2 hands—well above the thoroughbred average of 16 hands—enters the Derby off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes on April 4 at Keeneland. That race was his first start on dirt after three races on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park, where he set the early pace in the Blue Grass before fading. His lone stakes win came in the Battaglia Memorial on Feb. 21 at Turfway, where he defeated fellow Derby hopeful Fulleffort. Overall, Great White has two wins in four career starts and is 1-for-3 as a three-year-old. He was purchased for $55,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton December Digital Selected Sale.

Connections: Ennis and Three Chimneys Seek First Derby Victory

Trainer John Ennis, a native of Ireland, is making his second Kentucky Derby appearance after finishing 13th with Epic Ride in 2024—a horse that also entered the field as an also-eligible. Ennis co-owns Great White with Three Chimneys Farm, represented by Goncalo Torrealba. Three Chimneys is 0 for 3 in the Derby, with its best finishes being third-place efforts by Chief’s Crown (1985) and Gun Runner (2016). Jockey Alex Achard will ride in his first Derby. Ennis, who had been preparing as if Great White would draw in, also entered the horse in another stakes race on Derby Day as a contingency. “He’s still a baby, and he did not need to be on the lead (in the Blue Grass),” Ennis said. “He was flat the week of the Blue Grass. Now he’s sharp and looks really good.”

The Backside Learning Center and Other Derby Stories

The scratch of Silent Tactic was one of several topics on the April 29 episode of BloodHorse at the Derby, where host Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins discussed the race’s shifting dynamics. The episode also featured bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo, co-owner of 2023 Derby winner Mage, discussing The Puma’s path to the starting gate. Owner Brook Smith, whose potential favorite Paladin was sidelined by injury before his final prep race, spoke about the emotional toll and his work with the Backside Learning Center. The center’s executive director, Sherry Stanley, explained its mission to support the workforce behind thoroughbred racing. The podcast is available on BloodHorse’s YouTube channel and major streaming platforms.

What Comes Next: Derby Day and Beyond

The Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2, with post time at 6:57 p.m. Great White, assigned 50-1 odds on the morning line, will need to overcome his inexperience on dirt and a wide post position. Ennis expressed confidence that the horse has recovered from a dull spell following the Blue Grass. For Casse, the focus shifts to Silent Tactic’s recovery and a potential run in the Preakness Stakes. “In this business, you learn not to take anything for granted,” Casse said. The scratch reshapes a Derby field that already lost Paladin to injury, leaving the race wide open for contenders like The Puma and others.

The bottom line

• Silent Tactic was scratched due to a recurring hoof separation, ending his Derby bid.
• Great White, a 50-1 longshot, drew into the field and will start from post 20.
• Trainer John Ennis and Three Chimneys Farm are seeking their first Derby win.
• Great White has only one dirt start, a fifth in the Blue Grass, and is untested at 1 1/4 miles.
• Mark Casse hinted at a possible Preakness start for Silent Tactic after recovery.
• The scratch reshuffles the field, with several contenders vying for favoritism.