Great White Draws Into Kentucky Derby Field After Scratches of Silent Tactic and Fulleffort

Key facts

• Great White will start from post 20 after Silent Tactic scratched with a foot issue and Fulleffort scratched with a bone chip.
• Trainer John Ennis is in the Kentucky Derby for the second time; his previous starter, Epic Ride, finished 13th in 2024.
• Great White is co-owned by Three Chimneys Farm (Goncalo Torrealba) and John Ennis; Three Chimneys is 0 for 3 in the Derby.
• Jockey Alex Achard will ride in his first Kentucky Derby.
• Great White won the Battaglia Memorial on Feb. 21 at Turfway Park and finished fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 4 at Keeneland.
• The horse stands 17.2 hands, well above the average thoroughbred of around 16 hands.
• Silent Tactic, trained by Mark Casse, was scratched due to a recurring separation between the wall of his foot.
• Fulleffort, trained by Brad Cox, was scratched after an X-ray revealed a bone chip in his left hind leg; he will miss the Triple Crown.

A Late Entry into the Run for the Roses

Great White, a massive gray gelding standing 17.2 hands, will run in the 2026 Kentucky Derby after two late scratches thinned the field. The horse, trained by John Ennis, drew into the race when Silent Tactic was withdrawn Wednesday with a foot issue and Fulleffort was scratched Thursday with a bone chip. Great White will start from post 20, the outermost gate, when the gates open at 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Two Defections Reshape the Field

Silent Tactic, trained by Mark Casse, was scratched Wednesday after showing lameness in training. Casse said the colt had a recurring problem — a separation between the wall of his foot, akin to a painful splinter under a nail. "It's just not going to work," Casse said. The defection was especially disappointing for owner John C. Oxley, 89, who won the Derby 25 years ago, and jockey Christian Torres, who would have ridden in his first Derby. Casse, a Louisville-based trainer with 47 years in the sport, called it "a bump in the road" and expressed hope that Silent Tactic might return for the Preakness. Fulleffort, trained by Brad Cox, was scratched Thursday morning after jogging "off" in his left hind leg. An X-ray revealed a bone chip, requiring minor surgery. "Easy decision to withdraw him from the Derby," Cox said. "We'll get that cleaned up and hopefully have a fresh horse for next fall." Fulleffort will miss all Triple Crown races this year. With his departure, Ocelli, trained by Whit Beckman, entered the field.

Great White's Path to the Derby

Great White enters the Derby off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes on April 4 at Keeneland. In that race, his first on dirt, he set the early pace before fading. Trainer John Ennis acknowledged the colt was flat that week but said he has since sharpened. "He's still a baby, and he did not need to be on the lead," Ennis said. "Now he's sharp and looks really good." Before the Blue Grass, Great White won the Battaglia Memorial on Feb. 21 at Turfway Park, beating fellow Derby hopeful Fulleffort. His first three career starts came on Turfway's synthetic surface. Purchased for $55,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton December Digital Selected Sale, the gelding has two wins in four starts and is 1-for-3 as a three-year-old. He was assigned 50-1 odds in the morning line.

Connections and History

Great White is co-owned by Three Chimneys Farm, led by Goncalo Torrealba, and trainer John Ennis. Three Chimneys is 0 for 3 in the Derby, with two third-place finishes — Chief's Crown in 1985 and Gun Runner in 2016. For Ennis, a native of Ireland, this is his second Derby starter. His first, Epic Ride, also entered as an also-eligible in 2024 and finished 13th. Ennis had prepared as if Great White would run but also entered the horse in another stakes on Derby Day as a backup. Jockey Alex Achard will ride in his first Kentucky Derby. The horse schooled in the Churchill Downs paddock on Tuesday, and Great White is looking sharp.

Stakes and Outlook

With two scratches, the Derby field now stands at 20 horses. Great White's post 20 is the same position from which many horses have struggled, but the outside gate can also offer a clean break away from traffic. The horse's massive frame — 17.2 hands, well above the average thoroughbred's 16 hands — could be an asset on the mile-and-a-quarter track if he can conserve energy and avoid dueling for the lead. For Ennis, the opportunity is a second chance after Epic Ride's 13th-place finish. For Three Chimneys Farm, it is another attempt to break a Derby winless streak that includes two near-misses. The connections are realistic about Great White's chances but hopeful that the colt's recent sharpness and size will give him a fighting chance.

What Comes Next

The Kentucky Derby will be run on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Post time is 6:57 p.m. Eastern. Great White's odds of 50-1 make him a longshot, but the race has seen longer-priced winners. If he performs well, Ennis may consider the Preakness Stakes on May 16. For now, the focus is on Saturday's race and whether the gelding can translate his synthetic-track success to dirt on the biggest stage.

The bottom line

• Great White entered the Derby after scratches of Silent Tactic (foot issue) and Fulleffort (bone chip).
• Trainer John Ennis is in his second Derby; his first starter, Epic Ride, finished 13th in 2024.
• Great White is a 17.2-hand gelding with two wins in four starts, purchased for $55,000.
• He finished fifth in the Blue Grass on dirt after winning the Battaglia Memorial on synthetic.
• Jockey Alex Achard will ride in his first Kentucky Derby.
• The horse is co-owned by Three Chimneys Farm, which is 0 for 3 in the Derby with two third-place finishes.