Fierceness, the runaway winner of the March 30 Florida Derby, emerged as the strong favorite in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, settling at 5-2.
The final future wager closed on Saturday afternoon prior to the running of three major preps for the Kentucky Derby, so the prices of the pool do not reflect the performances of the horses in those races, including Sierra Leone’s victory from well off the pace in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Hades' connections are ready to take one more swing to get into the Kentucky Derby.
Hades, coming off a disappointing fifth-place finish in last week’s Grade 1 Florida Derby, was entered Saturday for next Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. The Lexington, at 1 1/16 miles, is the last points-scoring race for the Kentucky Derby.
We may now know who the favorite is for Kentucky Derby 150. By nightfall Saturday, we should have a pretty good line on the field likely to line up against impressive Florida Derby winner Fierceness at Churchill Downs on May 4.
WHO’S HOT
Fierceness is back, with a vengeance. The 2023 male juvenile champion scored a dazzling victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, winning by more than 13 lengths, earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure, and reclaiming the role of early Kentucky Derby favorite. Derby Watch linemaker David Aragona lowered the price on Fierceness to 3-1.
Amr Zedan, the owner of Arkansas Derby winner Muth, has filed a lawsuit against Churchill Downs Inc. seeking a temporary injunction that would allow his horse to run in this year’s Kentucky Derby despite a ban on the horse’s trainer, Bob Baffert, according to a press release issued by Zedan’s public-relations firm and a copy of the lawsuit.
Endlessly is scheduled for his first workout over the Churchill Downs dirt track Friday or Saturday, although his Kentucky Derby status is uncertain. Endlessly has won five of six on turf and synthetic, including four stakes and a four-length victory March 23 in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Endlessly earned 100 Derby qualifying points.
Sierra Leone versus Dornoch, Round 2, is on for the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.
Those two colts met Dec. 2 in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, where Dornoch rode an inside-speed bias to a narrow victory over Sierra Leone, who rallied to take the lead in the final furlong before losing it again at the wire. While Dornoch’s performance was bias-aided, it also was brave, the colt regaining the lead after contesting a fast pace.
Fierceness, runaway winner of last Saturday’s Florida Derby, has been made the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, according to a list of entrants distributed by Churchill Downs on Tuesday.
Fierceness, who won the Florida Derby by 13 1/2 lengths in his final Derby prep, was listed as the solid favorite among 39 individual entrants and the “all others” entry. Sierra Leone, who is pointing to this Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes, is listed as the second choice at 6-1, while Catching Freedom, winner of the Louisiana Derby, is third choice at 8-1.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday that Southern California-based Muth handled a number of new variables with aplomb winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park – save one.
“The only thing he didn’t handle was the flowers,” Baffert said of the blanket of gardenias. “When they went to put the flowers on, he didn’t want any part of that. I told them to bring them back home. We’re going to school him in the flowers.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday that Fierceness came out of his record-setting 13 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby in good order while continuing to marvel at the scope of the reigning juvenile champion male’s performance, which more than made amends for his disappointing third-place finish in the Grade 3 Holy Bull eight weeks earlier.
