J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie will not run in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, trainer Doug O’Neill told The Blood-Horse early April 28.

The son of Smart Strike, who has been plagued with sore shins while on the Derby trail, worked a half-mile at Churchill Downs April 26 under exercise rider Tony Romero in :50 1/5. O’Neill said he made the decision after conferring with Reddam.

“There was a little heat in his left shin,” O’Neill said outside Barn 17 Tuesday morning. “He’s walking sound and looks fine, but we decided to err on the side of caution. It’s extremely disappointing. If the race were a month from now it would be a different story.

“We realized we had to be hiccup free to make the Derby and this was the first sign of a little hiccup. He’s going to be fine. Unfortunately, it’s the biggest race of the year. We are extremely disappointed but at the same time extremely grateful that he’s sound,” O’Neill said

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