Photo:

Lauren King / Gulfstream Park

Rated by Merit, undefeated as a 2-year-old and yet to make his 2025 debut, is off the Kentucky Derby trail because of bone bruising.

Trainer Michael Yates confirmed the injury, which was reported earlier in an X post by Mike Welsch of Daily Racing Form.

“We took some X-rays, just to have a baseline on him, which led us to a little further evaluation,” Yates told Horse Racing Nation. “And he had some some mild bone bruising. And so we decided to give him more time.”

The son of Battalion Runner won his July debut by 9 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream and went on to win three Florida-sire stakes by 3 3/4 lengths or more.

“He was doing great,” Yates said. “Obviously quite disappointed, but we’re going to do what’s best for the horse. Very, very talented horse, and we have a lot of high hopes for him.”

Rated by Merit is currently is at 50-1 in Caesars Sportsbook Nevada futures and was 42-1 in pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The colt would have been pointed to the Derby prep races at Gulfstream, Yates said.

The trainer didn’t know when Rated by Merit might return.

“We’re going to continue to evaluate him,” he said, “and I don’t have a specific date.”