The odds favorite, The Great War, pressed the pace in the $125,000 Battaglia Memorial Stakes race at Turfway Park on Saturday, then faded badly and finished last in a field of ten.
It was determined that the reason for his poor performance was pulmonary hemorrhaging, or in the track language, the horse bled.
The trainer, Wesley Ward, said the horse would no longer pursue the Kentucky Derby, and he was removed from the Derby future wagers pool. Royal Sun won the race after leading from the start.