It is back to reality Friday at Gulfstream Park for Catalytic, who returns to a far more suitable spot, the $95,000 Carry Back Stakes, after finishing a distant 19th in his previous start nine weeks earlier in the Kentucky Derby. Catalytic will take on seven 3-year-old foes, including stablemate General Ledger, in the seven-furlong Carry Back, which honors the memory of the Florida-bred winner of the 1961 Derby and has been a July 4th weekend staple in South Florida since its inception at Calder Race Course in 1975. The race will bring down the curtain on a nine-race program that features the return of turf racing after the course was given a freshening for most of June. Catalytic earned his spot in the Derby by virtue of his second-place finish behind runaway winner Fierceness in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Catalytic began his career sprinting, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden-special at Gulfsteam by 5 1/2 lengths in his only start at 2 before finishing second against first-level allowance company making his 3-year-old bow at Tampa Bay Downs. “He’s improved a lot from the Derby. Since he’s come back here each breeze has been very good and better than the one before,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “He seems to be set up for a big race.” :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  Catalytic has worked five times since the Derby, capping off the strong series his trainer alluded to with a bullet half-mile at Gulfstream one week ago. “I need to run him. This stakes was here and he should be able to handle the distance, although a one-turn mile is probably the perfect distance for him,” Joseph said. General Ledger also turns back in distance after finishing a disappointing and well-beaten eighth when stretching to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Texas Derby on May 27 at Lone Star Park. In his previous outing, General Ledger posted a game half-length triumph over Etendre, another member of the Carry Back lineup, for which he earned far and away a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure. “He’s the only horse I sent to Texas that night that didn’t run up to form. Was it the two turns? Maybe, I don’t know,” said Joseph looking back on General Ledger’s last start. “This looks like a good spot to bring him back. If he repeats his race two back he will be tough. And I love that he’s drawn on the outside, it’s a perfect post for him since he tends to get intimidated when racing between horses.” Several others coming off high Beyer Speed Figure performances make the Carry Back a tough race to figure. The group includes Etendre and last-out statebred allowance winners Saybrook and El Principito, who turned in career-topping Beyers of 92 and 88, respectively, in their most recent outings. Real Macho, who along with Catalytic are the only non-Florida-breds in the field, took on the best of the 3-year-old division to no avail earlier in the season. He finished fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and a well-beaten eighth in the Florida Derby. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Real Macho will put blinkers back on for the first time since his 3-year-old debut in January while shortening up to seven furlongs for the first time in his career in the Carry Back. Celtic Pride, second best behind Saybrook when the pair met for the first time during the spring, and Roar Ready complete the well-matched lineup. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.