The early favorite for the Kentucky Derby was scratched Saturday hours before the race.

Forte was declared out of the 149th Derby, according to Churchill Downs spokesman Darren Rogers. Co-owner Mike Repole said Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarians had concerns about a bruised right front foot.

It was the fifth scratch this week from the $3 million race, the first time that many were scratched since 1936. That year 19 horses were entered and 14 ran.

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

State veterinarians were at Pletcher’s barn early Saturday to observe and examine Forte, who galloped on the track and then jogged outside the barn.

Forte had a five-race winning streak and was the early 3-1 favorite. His jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., will now ride Cyclone Mischief.

It was another pre-Derby disappointment for Repole.

He owned Uncle Mo, the early favorite for the 2011 Derby who was scratched the day before the race. The colt had a gastrointestinal infection and was eventually diagnosed with a rare liver disease. He resumed racing before retiring in November of that year.

Other horses that were scratched this week were Practical Move and Skinner, both because of fever, and Continuar.

Pletcher, a two-time Derby winner, will still saddle Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns.

It’s not the first time the favorite has been scratched.

In 2019, Omaha Beach missed the race because of an entrapped epiglottis, which affected his breathing. He had surgery and went on to race later that year.

In 2009, I Want Revenge was scratched on Derby day after a soft tissue injury to his left front ankle was discovered that morning.

2 more horses die for total of 7

The death count at Churchill Downs grew to seven in a week when two horses were injured during racing and euthanized.

Chloe’s Dream, a 3-year-old gelding, was pulled up in the second race for maidens, vanned off and then euthanized. In the Pat Day Mile race, Freezing Points, a 3-year-old colt, was pulled up in the chute shortly after the start of the race and given a lethal injection.

It was yet another black cloud over a sport that has been wrestling with safety and perception issues. In addition to the six deaths, a trainer was suspended because of two of the deaths and five horses were scratched from the Kentucky Derby.

The first death was a week ago Thursday when Wild on Ice was injured while training and taken to an equine hospital in Lexington, where he was euthanized.

Last Saturday, two horses died. Parents Pride, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., was pulled up in the stretch and died on the track. In California, such an incident would be referred to as “sudden death” pending a necropsy. Later, in the paddock, Code of Kings flipped over twice and broke his neck.

There were two more deaths on Tuesday. Take Charge Briana broke down in the stretch and was subsequently euthanized. Chasing Artie, also trained by Joseph, finished her race and collapsed near the winner’s circle.

Churchill Downs acknowledged four of the deaths and issued a statement.

“While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable,” the statement read. “We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed. We feel a tremendous responsibility to our fans, the participants in our sport and the entire industry to be a leader in safety and continue to make significant investments to eliminate risk to our athletes. We have full confidence in our racing surfaces and have been assured by our riders and horsemen that they do as well.”