Plenty of us have gone to work with a stomach problems and there's lots of examples of athletes playing through "flu-like symptoms". Last season in the NBA Playoffs we were even treated to a coach throwing up on the side lines (thanks, Alvin Gentry for this moment in sports history). But when it comes to racing in the Kentucky Derby a little thing like an upset tummy has caused Uncle Mo to scratch.
Uncle Mo reportedly was diagnosed with a "stomach ailment" after he lost a race on April 9. He's been treated with medications but hasn't recovered. I guess a month-long bout with a bug is harder to resolve in a horse than an NBA coach who ate some bad avocado for lunch.
With Uncle Mo out of the race, the field is down to 19 horses. He was in the 18th position from the pole which means Nehro and Watch Me Go move in a spot and the 20th slot will be empty for the 2011 Kentucky Derby.
Uncle Mo was recently given 9/2 odds. According to SB Nation's report, the updated odds-on favorite is now Dialed In at 4-1, with Nehro close behind at 5-1 and Shackleford, Soldat, and Archarcharch all sitting at 8-1 to win.
With news of the scratch, updated odds have been posted at Bodog. Here's the most recent list we have at of May 6, 2011:
Dialed In +400
Nehro +600
Archarcharch +1000
Master of Hounds +3000
Midnight Interlude +1000
Mucho Macho Man +1200
Soldat +1200
Shackleford +1200
Pants on Fire +2000
Brilliant Speed +3000
Stay Thirsty +2000
Animal Kingdom +3000
Decisive Moment +3000
Santiva +3000
Comma to The Top +3000
Twice The Appeal +2000
Twinspired +3000
Watch Me Go +5000
Derby Kitten +3000
The 2011 Kentucky Derby post time is at 6:24 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 7th and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - current Derby odds, contender profiles, field updates and more. You can find all of that and more at the SB Nation 2011 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. Also, our horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come has two must-read resources for Derby fans: A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.
LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: Kentucky Derby entrant Uncle Mo with exercise rider Hector Ramos works during morning workouts in preparation for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2011 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)