Catching Freedom, with Louisiana Derby win behind him, waits for Kentucky Derby

Catching Freedom is catching a ride on a horse van from New Orleans to Louisville, where he’ll have the better part of a six weeks’ wait until a start in the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

Catching Freedom exited his one-length win Saturday in the $1 million Louisiana Derby healthy and happy, trainer Brad Cox reported Sunday morning, and will have a chance to become Cox’s first outright Derby winner.

The Cox-trained Mandaloun was placed first in the 2021 Derby after Medina Spirit was disqualified because of a medication violation. Mandaloun won the Risen Star at Fair Grounds that winter, but clunked in the Louisiana Derby, finishing sixth, before rebounding in Kentucky Derby.

Catching Freedom finished third in the Risen Star, a step up from his January win in the Smarty Jones, before improving considerably in Saturday’s contest, where his winning time of 1:56.16 yielded a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, which aligns favorably with the fastest numbers in the division.

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Longer distances appear to be helping Catching Freedom, a son of Constitution purchased for $575,000 by the Albaugh Family Stable at Keeneland’s September yearling sale of 2022. In the Risen Star, run at nine furlongs, Catching Freedom lugged in through the stretch run, but he stayed on a straight course coming from last of 11 to win the Louisiana Derby. Catching Freedom has more tactical speed than he showed Saturday, but made the most of a steady closing trip under Flavien Prat.

Prat will also ride leading Derby hope Timberlake for Cox in the Arkansas Derby next weekend.

“There’s a lot of time before the Derby for the jockey situation to sort itself out,” Cox said.

Catching Freedom, far from a stunner of a colt, has been a modest workhorse throughout his career, though his last two breezes before Saturday’s race showed improvement.

“I'm sure every time he works at Churchill moving forward, people are going to watch and pick it apart. I think he’s just one you don’t put a lot of stock into it,” Cox said.

Fact is, the Louisiana Derby falls at an awkward time for Kentucky Derby candidates. Some would find six weeks a long time to sit between starts, but neither is it a simple matter these days squeezing in another pre-Derby race. Honor Marie with 65 qualifying points will get into the Derby, and trainer Whit Beckman sees no reason to force a third 2024 run into the Louisiana Derby runner-up, who earned a career-best 96 Beyer.

“As an individual, he’s never been one to need a whole lot,” Beckman said. “Timing-wise, it always felt like a little more time between was good. He’s not a big horse and he’s not a great mover. He keeps himself where he needs to be. He’s a very smart horse. We'll go home, get him over to Churchill - he’s never trained at Churchill – and just kind of let it develop. I’ve got a generalized plan, a decent idea of what I want to do.”

Third-place finisher Tuscan Gold improved from an 84 Beyer in his last-out maiden win to a 95 in the Louisiana Derby, just his third start, and will score higher on speed-figure systems that account for ground loss. Breaking from post 10, Tuscan Gold was stuck four wide on the first turn and lost ground on the second turn, where he had to be hard-ridden to stay in the fight. Most horses with his light resume would not have achieved such a high placing with such a trip.

Track Phantom, the Louisiana Derby favorite, set a moderate pace under Joel Rosario and was swallowed up the final half-furlong, finishing fourth. His 70 Derby qualifying points will get him into the Derby, and trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning that the first leg of the Triple Crown remains Track Phantom’s goal.

“He looked very good this morning, seemed to have come out of the race very well,” Asmussen said Sunday. “In talking to Joel, we thought there was a little more there, and we’re going to try a little French cup blinker. We are pointing to the Derby.”

Fifth-place Common Defense earned 10 Derby qualifying points to lift his total to 37. Trainer Kenny McPeek said in a Sunday text message it was possible, but uncertain, the colt would be considered for the Derby.

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