The horse's trainer, Bob Buffert was subssquently banned for two yeas from churchill down and initial runner up Mandaloun was announced the race winner.
Without Buffert, who has won the race a record equally six times, the field is wide open for what promise to be an exciting contest.
Messler and Taiba are among the contenders having been passed on to Buffert former assistant Tim Yakteen has been training the horses for the weekend.
Epicenter and Zandon took to be the two standout picks heading into the race with both horses boasting the great potential.
Epicneter's trainer Steve Asmussen is the most succesfull in North American horse racing history but his foiled to win the Durby in all of his 23 attempts.
The Derby will air in the US on NBC, the NBC website and its App with coverage of all of saturday race starting at Midday.