The long-running saga of Square Eddie's participation in The Kentucky Derby is finally over. The former John Best-trained colt, now with Doug O'Neill, has sore shins and will miss Saturday's big race at Churchill Downs (May 2).

A grand second in The Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Square Eddie worked on Churchill Downs at the weekend and came back feeling sore.

Reluctantly the trainer Doug O'Neill has had to draw stumps and give the son of Smart Strike time to recover.

O'Neill confided: "The horse is sound. It is only in one foreleg but we simply can't take the chance. It is sad as it is the biggest race of the year. We have ice-packed him and he is really OK but we can't take the chance with it happening so close to the race. I am sick as a parrot about it."