Kentucky Derby: Fierceness Makes First Appearance At Churchill, To Work Friday

Repole Stable’s Fierceness, the champion 2-year-old of 2023 and possible favorite for the 150^th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve, made his first appearance on the track at Churchill Downs on a sun-splashed Tuesday morning.

Under regular exercise rider Danny Wright, Fierceness galloped a mile during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks runners.

Also making his first appearance on track was Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic, who jogged a mile under exercise rider Olaf Hernandez.

Scheduled to work six furlongs on Wednesday morning is Susumu Fujita’s undefeated Forever Young (JPN). Jockey Ryuseu Sakai is slated to be aboard for the work.

At Gulfstream Park Tuesday morning, Granpollo Stables’ Grand Mo the First worked six furlongs in 1:16.46 for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. Grand Mo the First is scheduled to ship to Louisville on Thursday.

Also at Gulfstream, Stonehedge LLC’s Fiona’s Magic worked six furlongs in 1:15.16 toward the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) for trainer Bo Yates. Fiona’s Magic is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs in the next 48 hours, according to Yates

CATALYTIC – Making his first appearance on track Tuesday morning was Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic, who jogged a mile under exercise rider Olaf Hernandez.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Catalystic arrived at Churchill Downs Monday morning after vanning from South Florida. Catalystic is scheduled to work Sunday.

CATCHING FREEDOM/ENCINO/JUST A TOUCH – Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Catching Freedom, Encino and Just a Touch all galloped about 1 ½ miles Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.

Following their training sessions, the trio schooled in the paddock at 10 a.m.

Cox, who was at Keeneland Tuesday morning, is scheduled to be back at Churchill Downs Wednesday.

DOMESTIC PRODUCT/SIERRA LEONE – Trainer Chad Brown’s two Kentucky Derby hopefuls galloped a mile and a half during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.

It was the first day on the track for Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Product, who was partnered by Peter Roman.

“The first day on the track was excellent. He was moving well,” Brown said.

Sierra Leone, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and Risen Star (G2), had regular exercise rider Kriss Bon aboard. Sierra Leone is owned by the partnership of Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith.

DORNOCH/SOCIETY MAN – Trainer Danny Gargan’s Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Dornoch and Society Man, galloped a mile and a half under Pricilla Schaefer.

Dornoch, owned by the partnership of West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables, galloped at 7:30 and comes into the Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).

Society Man, runner-up in the Wood Memorial (G2) in his most recent start, galloped at 9 a.m. He is owned by the partnership of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces Racing, GMP Stables and Carl and Yurie Pascarella.

ENDLESSLY – Amerman Racing’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Endlessly had an easy 1 ½-mile gallop early Tuesday morning.

Endlessly is slated to work Saturday.

FIERCENESS – Repole Stable’s Fierceness, the champion 2-year-old of 2023 and possible favorite for the 150^th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve, made his first appearance on the track at Churchill Downs on a sun-splashed Tuesday morning.

Under regular exercise rider Danny Wright, Fierceness galloped a mile during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks runners.

Wright has been the regular morning partner for Fierceness since last summer at Saratoga.

“He looked smooth and handled it well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of the morning’s activity.

Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Florida Derby (G1) in dominating fashion, Fierceness is scheduled to work Friday morning … weather permitting.

Pletcher said Fierceness would make a couple of trips to the starting gate as well as a couple of paddock schooling sessions next week.

FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) – Susumu Fujita’s undefeated Forever Young (JPN) warmed up in the mile chute for a half-hour before galloping a mile and a half under jockey Ryusei Sakai.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young is scheduled to work six furlongs in company Wednesday morning with Sakai aboard.

Yahagi is scheduled to arrive in Louisville next Tuesday night and be trackside Wednesday morning, May 1.

GRAND MO THE FIRST – At Gulfstream Park Tuesday morning, Granpollo Stables’ Grand Mo the First worked six furlongs in 1:16.46 for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. Grand Mo the First is scheduled to ship to Louisville on Thursday.

“It was a beautiful workout,” Barboza said via text of the solo move with jockey Emisael Jaramillo up. “We will arrive there Thursday night, walk Friday and then go to the track Saturday.”

HONOR MARIE – Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth and Dave Fishbein’s Honor Marie galloped 1 ½ miles Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. under trainer Whit Beckman’s exercise rider Maurilio Garcia.

His jockey, Ben Curtis, was also in town Tuesday to watch his Derby mount train. Curtis, a native of Ireland, moved his tack to North America this winter and will base at Delaware Park throughout the spring and early summer.

JUST STEEL – BC Stable’s Just Steel returned to the track Tuesday for the first time since is serious one-mile work Saturday.

The D. Wayne Lukas trainee had an easy gallop around 5:30 a.m.

MYSTIK DAN – Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing and Daniel Hamby III’s Mystik Dan galloped a mile and a half for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Winner of the Southwest (G3) and most recently third in the Arkansas Derby (G1), Mystik Dan is scheduled to work Saturday.

RESILIENCE – Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman’s Resilience jogged about one mile Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. a day after his five furlong move in 1:01.60

“It was a beautiful work and had very good energy,” jockey Junior Alvarado said. “He’s a very easy horse to manage. He galloped out very strong. I had to pull him up a little bit earlier because he wanted to keep going.”

Alvarado was named to ride Resilience in the Kentucky Derby.

STRONGHOLD – Eric and Sharon Walker’s Stronghold, winner of the Santa Anita Derby (GI) in his most recent start, was en route to Louisville Tuesday morning from trainer Phil D’Amato’s main base at Santa Anita.

Stronghold was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Tuesday afternoon.

TRACK PHANTOM – Lecomte (G3) winner Track Phantom jogged about one mile then had a light gallop under exercise rider Roberto Howell Tuesday at 5:45 a.m.

WEST SARATOGA – Harry Veruchi’s West Saratoga galloped two miles at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky, under Donte Lowery for trainer Larry Demeritte.

West Saratoga is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs with a work scheduled for Saturday morning.

“I thank God every day for my blessings in this life and this is truly amazing how we got to this position with this horse,” Demeritte said. “I’m hopeful people will see our story and become interested in this sport because this horse is proving anyone with a dream can make it to the Derby stage.”

ALSO ELIGIBLES – Welch Racing’s Epic Ride galloped at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Trainer John Ennis tentative plans call for Epic Ride to come to Churchill Downs after training Friday morning in Lexington.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Here are the horses (with jockeys and trainers) that are qualified for the Kentucky Derby and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Catalytic (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Catching Freedom (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox); Domestic Product (Irad Ortiz Jr., Chad Brown); Dornoch (Luis Saez, Danny Gargan); Encino (TBA, Brad Cox); Endlessly (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy); Fierceness (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher); Forever Young (JPN) (Ryusei Sakai, Yoshito Yahagi); Grand Mo the First (Emisael Jaramillo, Victor Barboza Jr.); Honor Marie (Ben Curtis, Whit Beckman); Just a Touch (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Just Steel (Keith Asmussen, Wayne Lukas); Mystik Dan (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Resilience (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott); Sierra Leone (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown); Society Man (TBA, Danny Gargan); Stronghold (Antonio Fresu, Phil D’Amato); T O Password (JPN) (Kazushi Kimura, Daisuke Takayanagi); Track Phantom (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); West Saratoga (Jesus Castanon, Larry Demerritte).

Also Eligibles: Epic Ride (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis); Uncle Heavy (TBA, Butch Reid); Seize the Grey (TBA, Wayne Lukas).