Country House Pulled From Preakness

Kentucky Derby winner Country House will not be racing in the upcoming Preakness Stakes and therefore we won't have a Triple Crown winner.

Those who bet there would be a Triple Crown winner have officially lost those futures as of Tuesday May 7, though it was not immediately known whether grading would take effect prior to the day of the race.

Trainer Bill Mott claimed Country House was suffering from an illness.

"He developed a little bit of a cough this morning," Mott told the Daily Racing Form by telephone. "His appetite is good. He doesn't have a fever. But he's coughing. We drew blood. He's acting like he's going to get sick. He's off the training list, and if he's off the training list, he's off the Preakness list.

"It's probably a little viral thing. Hopefully it doesn't develop into anything serious. Usually when something like this happens, a horse misses a couple weeks of training. He's not seriously sick right now, but he's showing indications that something is going on."

Country House won the Kentucky Derby following a first ever disqualification in the race.  Maximum Security was disqualified for interference. Racing stewards determined Maximum Security impeded the paths of several horses in the race.

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com