The 152nd Kentucky Derby made history as Golden Tempo became the first horse trained by a woman—Cherie DeVaux—to win the Run for the Roses. But the 2026 edition at Churchill Downs also matched an unwanted record: five scratches, tying the all-time mark set in 1936 and matched in 2023.

The latest and most dramatic casualty was Great White. As horses were being loaded for the 6:57 p.m. post time, the big gray gelding suddenly spooked. Weighing roughly 1,370 pounds, he threw off jockey Alex Achard, who walked away under his own power—extremely lucky the horse didn't land on him. The scene unfolded fast, but a quick-thinking pony handler grabbed the reins before Great White could bolt loose, which would have been a far greater disaster on such a stage.

Scratching him after that backward fall was absolutely the right call. These thoroughbreds are still babies at just three years old, and the veterinarians wouldn't let him run. The field dropped from 19 to 18 at the very last moment. In fact, Great White only got into the Derby on Wednesday after Silent Tactic was ruled out with a foot injury.

But here's the good news: "He's perfect," trainer John Ennis told The Associated Press after the race. "Very fresh. (The incident) took nothing out of him."

Trainer Mark Casse had earlier compared Silent Tactic's injury to a fingernail separation—painful enough that he and owner John Oxley wanted no added risk. "It wasn't a tough decision," Casse said. "It's not tough because we're always going to try to do what we feel is best for the horse, Mr. Oxley and our entire group."

Silent Tactic was scratched more than 72 hours before the race. Two other horses—Fulleffort and Right to Party—were also scratched and replaced before the Triple Crown classic. A bone chip in Fulleffort's left hind leg was discovered on Thursday, forcing him out. Then on Friday, just before the replacement deadline, another horse was pulled.

For Great White, it was a scary moment at the starting gate, but the story ends well: horse and jockey are both safe, and the big gray gelding is already looking ahead to his next race.