2024 Kentucky Derby Clocker: Sierra Leone continues to shine training

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Wednesday, May 1
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 58 degrees
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The final countdown has begun to Oaks and Derby 2024 with the goal for the connections of all contenders to just keep their horses happy and sound until their respective races on Friday and Saturday.

A busy morning of routine gallops mixed in with some gate and paddock schooling was the order of the day Wednesday at Churchill Downs with picture perfect weather – clear skies and temperatures in the high 50s – greeting horsemen when the track opened, as usual, at 5:15 a.m.

:: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more.

Among the Derby runners who made the most impressive appearances on Wednesday were Sierra Leone, who has looked a picture of heath on a regular basis since his arrival from Keeneland 10 days earlier, and the Brad Cox-trained duo of Catching Freedom and Just a Touch, the latter a bundle of energy both times by the wire this morning.

Resilience continues to look like a horse sitting on another big one at a square price come Saturday as does Domestic Product, who waited until the set after the Derby/Oaks training session to get in his morning’s work. Mystik Dan schooled and then popped out of the gate before being pulled up shortly thereafter.

Every time one looks around, another Oaks hopeful comes down the stretch looking like a million bucks. That group is led by Just F Y I, who gets the number one star for the outstanding appearance she’s made on a regular basis over the past week and a half. She tops a list of impressive-looking Oaks fillies that includes Tarifa, Ways and Means, Leslie’s Rose, Where’s My Ring, and Thorpedo Anna, all of whom made outstanding appearances again this morning, along with recent arrival Power Squeeze. Oaks longshot Everland was probably the most eager of them all this morning, full of energy and in near run-off mode.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.