LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Trainer Todd Pletcher's horse, Forte scratched from the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. 

Veterinarians from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission were at Pletcher's barn on the Backside Saturday to examine the horse.  Forte, galloped the track and jogged outside of the barn. Co-owner Mike Repole said the state veterinarians were concerned about the horse's bruise right front foot.

The colt stumbled on the track during a workout Thursday, but Pletcher had downplayed it.

Forte was last year's 2-year-old champion and has six wins in seven career starts, including five in a row. Forte was trying to become the fourth 2-year-oldchampion since 1980 to win the Kentucky Derby. 

Pletcher has two other Derby horses, Tapit Trice is the second favorite and Kingsbarns. Pletcher is a two-time Derby winner. 

Forte is owned by Mike Repole and Vincent Viola. Viola owns the NHL's Florida Panthers. Forte's scratch is hard particularly hard for Repole. He owned Uncle Mo, the early favorite for the 2011 Derby. The horse scratched a day before the race because of an infection. He was later diagnosed with a rare liver disease. 

This is the fifth scratch for Derby 149. The other horse out of today's Derby are Skinner, Practical Move, Lord Miles and Continuar (JPN). According to Churchill Downs, the last time there were five scratches in the Kentucky Derby was 1936 when 19 horses entered the race, but only 14 ran. 

This is not the first time the favorite has scratched. Omaha Beach in 2019 missed the race because of an entrapped epiglottis, which affected the horse's breathing. He had surgery and went on to race later that year.

In 2009, I want Revenge scratched on Derby day because of an ankle injury.

Program numbers for the Derby are unchanged, but post positions moved without changing the order of the starters. The 18 horses will break from posts 1-18. Posts 19 and 20 will be empty. Post time for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. ET.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who was going to ride Forte, has accepted the mount aboard Dale Roman's horse, Cyclone Mischief.

This is a developing story. We will add more details when they become available.