Fierceness and Sierra Leone, the expected first two choices for the Kentucky Derby, arrived on the Churchill grounds about 16 hours apart.
Fierceness, the 2023 2-year-old champion and dominant Florida Derby winner, arrived about 4 a.m. following a van ride from his winter base at Palm Beach Downs.
Jose Ortiz has been named to ride Florida Derby runner-up and Kentucky Derby longshot Catalytic, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Monday.
Ortiz, whose best finish from eight Derby mounts is a second in 2018 aboard Good Magic, replaces Julien Leparoux, who rode Catalytic in the Florida Derby, where he was beaten 13 1/2 lengths by Fierceness.
Just four days after Resilience and Just F Y I put in their first workouts over the Churchill Downs main track in preparation for their starts in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively, trainer Bill Mott sent the 3-year-olds out for their second workouts Monday morning on a clear, cool morning in Louisville.
“We didn’t do much the other day. I wanted to see a good work far enough out where it wasn’t going to compromise them but yet benefit them,” Mott said, explaining the quick turnaround.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold worked a half-mile in a quick 46.60 seconds on Saturday in advance of a flight to Kentucky on Tuesday for an intended start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4.
Working behind stablemate Shady Tiger, a stakes winner against California-bred sprinters on April 6, Stronghold closed through the stretch to finish slightly in front. Antonio Fresu, who has ridden Stronghold in his last four starts, was aboard for the workout, the colt’s first since the win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 6.
Churchill Downs
Saturday, April 20
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 48
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Saturday morning was a busy one under the Twin Spires, not only for potential Kentucky Derby starters but the general population as well. Seven Derby hopefuls got in what, for most, will be their penultimate works for the big event now just two weeks away as part of a clocker’s tab that included over 210 names when the final drill went in the books shortly before 10 a.m.
Amr Zedan, owner of Arkansas Derby winner Muth, has filed an appeal of a Kentucky Circuit Court ruling issued Thursday that denied his request for a temporary injunction against a ban by Churchill Downs of Muth’s trainer, Bob Baffert.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – As far as trainer Todd Pletcher is concerned, the 2024 Kentucky Derby can’t get here soon enough – especially not after watching his Florida Derby winner and likely Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness breeze an extremely impressive and very easy five furlongs in 1:00.35 early Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs.
WHO’S HOT
Encino’s wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland earned him sufficient qualifying points to make the Kentucky Derby field following the defection of No More Time. The top 19 on the points list, in addition to Japan Road to the Derby points leader T O Password, gain a Derby berth.
A Kentucky circuit court judge said Monday he will issue a ruling by the end of the week on whether to grant a temporary injunction that would allow horses trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Amr Zedan to start in this year’s Kentucky Derby despite a ban by Churchill Downs on the trainer.
