After his fifth-place finish in Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, Shanghai Bobby is no longer being considered for the May 4 Kentucky Derby and will instead be given time off.
The colt will be sent to Payton Training Center in Ocala, Fla., and will be expected to return toward a late summer or early fall campaign, according to a Starlight Racing press release.
Physically, the 2012 juvenile champion appears to be in good shape, but according to trainer Todd Pletcher, his energy level is not where he’d like it to be.
“There’s nothing obviously wrong with him, but we will go over him thoroughly and give him some time off to fully recover from his long campaign,’’ Pletcher said.
“He’ll be sent to Payton Training Center today and allowed to have the down time that he seems to need right now.”
Undefeated in six starts in 2012, capped by a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Shanghai Bobby finished second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Jan. 26, before stalking the pace and tiring to fifth in the stretch on Saturday. He is the fourth of the past six champion males to miss the Derby and the second for Pletcher since Un