Daily Derby Update: April 24, 2024

CATALYTIC – After coming to the track for the first time Tuesday morning, Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic returned Wednesday to gallop a mile and a half under exercise rider Olaf Hernandez.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Catalytic arrived at Churchill Downs Monday morning after vanning from South Florida.

“He just galloped the mile and a half,” said Tristan Ford, an assistant to Joseph. “We’re happy with everything. He’s feeling good.”

Catalytic, the Florida Derby (GI) runner-up behind expected Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness, is on target to work Sunday.

CATCHING FREEDOM/ENCINO/JUST A TOUCH – Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Catching Freedom, Encino and Just a Touch all galloped about 1 ½ miles Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and schooled in the starting gate.

All three horses are scheduled to breeze Saturday morning.

Cox stated Encino’s jockey has yet to be confirmed for the Kentucky Derby.

DOMESTIC PRODUCT/SIERRA LEONE – Trainer  Chad Brown’s Derby duo of Sierra Leone and Domestic Product galloped a mile and a half during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses.

Kriss Bon was aboard Sierra Leone, who gave Brown his third Blue Grass Stakes (GI) victory. Brown’s other Blue Grass winners were Good Magic, who finished second in the 2018 Derby, and Zandon, who finished third in the 2022 Derby.

Sierra Leone is owned by the partnership of Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith.

Peter Roman partnered Domestic Product, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) in his most recent start. Klaravich Stables owns and bred Domestic Product.

Both colts are scheduled to work Saturday, weather permitting.

DORNOCH/SOCIETY MAN – Trainer Danny Gargan’s two Kentucky Derby hopefuls both galloped a miler and a half under exercise rider Pricilla Schaefer.

Winner of the Fountain of Youth (GII), Dornoch is owned by the partnership of West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing  and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables. He put in his morning work at 7:30. Luis Saez has the Derby mount.

Coming out at 9 o’clock for his morning exercise was Wood Memorial runner-up Society Man, who is owned by the partnership of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces, GMP Stables and Carl and Yurie Pascarella. Frankie Dettori has the mount on Society Man.

 The two colts are scheduled to work in company Saturday morning with Saez aboard Dornoch.

“I think they worked fine together last week and going to do it again this week,” Gargan said. “This time, I’ll put Dornoch on the inside of Society Man. Another day of training down and one closer to the Derby.”

ENDLESSLY – Amerman Racing’s Endlessly had a normal training day Wednesday, galloping 1 ½ miles around 5:45 a.m.

The winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) is scheduled to work Saturday.

FIERCENESS – Repole Stable’s champion Fierceness galloped a mile and three-eighths under regular exercise rider Danny Wright for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) last November at Santa Anita to wrap up the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old, Fierceness is scheduled to work Friday morning with John Velazquez aboard.

FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) – Susumu Fujita’s undefeated Forever Young (JPN) worked six furlongs in 1:19.60 over a fast track in company.

With jockey Ryusei Sakai aboard, Forever Young posted fractions of :14.80, :28.80, :42.60, :55.20, 1:19.60 and out seven furlongs in 1:33,60. He was joined for the last half-mile by Cuffed Candy, an unraced 3-year-old for trainer Dale Romans.

“Thanks to Dale Romans (with providing the workmate) so we were able to do exactly what we want to do this far out (from the Derby),” Sakai said through a translator.

As usual, Forever Young warmed up in the mile chute for a half-hour during the first harrow break of the morning before commencing his work that went off slowly and finished with a final quarter-mile in :24.40.

Following the work, Forever Young visited the starting gate.

“The gate was no problem,” said Sakai, who missed out on riding in last year’s Derby after Continuar (JPN) was scratched days before the race. “He has been to the gate before at all the places he has run.”

Sakai has been aboard Forever Young in all five of his starts ranging in distance from a mile to a mile and three-sixteenths. Forever Young raced in Japan last year at age 2 and this year has been to Saudi Arabia and Dubai before coming here.

Sakai said Forever Young, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, would have another work next week. However, Sakai will not be aboard for that work as he is returning to Japan to ride this weekend before coming back to Louisville late next week.

GRAND MO THE FIRST – Granpollo Stables’ Grand Mo the First exited his six-furlong work of 1:16.46 on Tuesday morning at Gulfstream Park in good order and is on schedule to van to Churchill Downs on Thursday.

Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. will be here Friday, which is a scheduled walk day for Grand Mo the First.

HONOR MARIE – Trainer Whit Beckman was “calm, cool and relaxed” Wednesday morning watching TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) runner-up Honor Marie train.

“I don’t really get nervous when I run a horse in a race I think they can win,” Beckman said. “It’s a weird feeling but right now I don’t feel too nervous.”

Honor Marie is scheduled to work Thursday morning with jockey Ben Curtis in the irons.

JUST STEEL – BC Stable’s Just Steel was the first Kentucky Derby contender to train Wednesday morning with Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas closely watching aboard his pony.

The son of new Hall of Fame inductee Justify galloped about 1 ½ miles.

MYSTIK DAN – Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing and Daniel Hamby III’s Mystik Dan galloped an easy mile and a half for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Mystik Dan, the winner of the Southwest (GIII) and most recently third in the Arkansas Derby (GI) at Oaklawn Park, is scheduled to work Saturday. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the Derby riding assignment.

RESILIENCE – Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman’s Resilience had an easy gallop at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The winner of the Wood Memorial (GII) is scheduled to school in the paddock a couple times before the Derby, according to trainer Bill Mott.

STRONGHOLD – Eric and Sharon Waller’s Stronghold, who arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock from his base at Santa Anita, jogged a mile Wednesday morning with trainer Phil D’Amato’s wife, Sherri, in the saddle.

Weather permitting, the Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner is scheduled to work Saturday with Joe Talamo up.

ALSO ELIGIBLES – Welch Racing’s Epic Ride, third in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) in his most recent start, galloped Wednesday morning at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky, for trainer John Ennis.

Trainer Jeff Engler reported Mugatu is back in consideration for the Kentucky Derby also-eligible list. The fifth-place finisher of the Blue Grass (GI) is based at Belterra Park in Ohio.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Here are the horses (with jockeys and trainers) that are qualified for the Kentucky Derby and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Catalytic (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Catching Freedom (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox); Domestic Product (Irad Ortiz Jr., Chad Brown); Dornoch (Luis Saez, Danny Gargan); Encino (TBA, Brad Cox); Endlessly (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy); Fierceness (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher); Forever Young (JPN) (Ryusei Sakai, Yoshito Yahagi); Grand Mo the First (Emisael Jaramillo, Victor Barboza Jr.); Honor Marie (Ben Curtis, Whit Beckman); Just a Touch (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Just Steel (Keith Asmussen, Wayne Lukas); Mystik Dan (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Resilience (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott); Sierra Leone (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown); Society Man (Frankie Dettori, Danny Gargan); Stronghold (Antonio Fresu, Phil D’Amato); T O Password (JPN) (Kazushi Kimura, Daisuke Takayanagi); Track Phantom (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); West Saratoga (Jesus Castanon, Larry Demerritte).

    Also Eligibles: Epic Ride (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis); Uncle Heavy (TBA, Butch Reid); Seize the Grey (TBA, Wayne Lukas); Mugatu (TBA, Jeff Engler).

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE

GIN GIN/TARIFA – Calumet Farm’s Gin Gin along with Godolphin’s Tarifa both galloped about 1 ½ miles Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. then schooled in the paddock following training.

Both fillies are scheduled to work Friday or Saturday depending on weather.

INTO CHAMPAGNE – Gulfstream Parks Oaks (GIII) third-place finisher Into Champagne had an easy 1 ½-mile gallop Wednesday morning for trainer Ian Wilkes.

She’s scheduled to breeze Friday or Saturday.

JUST F Y I – Champion filly Just F Y I returned to the track Wednesday for the first time since her sharp five-furlong move in :59.80 Monday morning.

The Bill Mott trainee had a light gallop at 7:30 a.m.

LESLIE’S ROSE – Whisper Hill Farm’s Ashland (GI) winner Leslie’s Rose galloped a mile and three-eighths with exercise rider Joel Osorio aboard for four-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer Todd Pletcher.

Leslie’s Rose is scheduled to work Thursday morning.

REGULATORY RISK/WAYS AND MEANS – Klaravich Stables’ Regulatory Risk and Ways and Means both galloped a mile and half Wednesday morning for trainer Chad Brown.

Ways and Means, second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII) in her 2024 debut, galloped early under Peter Roman. She will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

Regulatory Risk galloped during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses with Gudiel Alvarez aboard. Jose Ortiz has the Oaks mount on the Gazelle (GIII) runner-up.

Brown initially had both fillies scheduled to work Friday, but said Wednesday morning, “I’m not sure about that. I may work one filly Friday and one Saturday.”

TAPIT JENALLIE – Willis Horton Racing’s Tapit Jenallie is on target to work Thursday morning in preparation for the Oaks, eight days later. Trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. took the homebred daughter of Tapit to the starting gate and paddock, before galloping her a mile and a half.

“She’s doing really well right now,” Milligan said. “She went into the gate real good, relaxed real good, and she did everything I needed her to do today. We’ll breeze her an easy half- mile tomorrow, then walk her a couple of days after that.”

Tapit Jenallie is scheduled to work Thursday with jockey Manny Esquivel up.

THORPEDO ANNA – Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s Thorpedo Anna galloped a mile and a half for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Thorpedo Anna is the winner of three of her four starts with Brian Hernandez Jr., most recently having captured the Fantasy (GII) in her first start this year. The Fast Anna filly is scheduled to work Friday.

WHERE’S MY RING – Michael McMillan’s Gazelle (GIII) winner Where’s My Ring galloped a mile and a half early Wednesday morning under  David Rodriguez.

“She will jog Thursday and then work a half-mile Friday,” trainer Val Brinkerhoff said of the filly who will be piloted in the Oaks by Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for the Gazelle victory.

ALSO ELIGIBLES – Manama Gold (No. 15) and Candied (No. 17) both galloped a mile and three-eighths for trainer Todd Pletcher. Manama Gold was out early under Jonathan Fabian Aguilar while Candied galloped at 7:30 under Carlos Quevedo.

They are scheduled to work Thursday.

    Pletcher said Luis Saez would have the mount on Candied should she make it into the main body of the race. The rider for Manama Gold is to be determined.

“We will see how she breezes tomorrow,” Pletcher said of Manama Gold regarding her Oaks status.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Here are the horses (with trainers) that are qualified for the Longines Kentucky Oaks and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Everland (Abel Cedillo, Eric Foster); Fiona’s Magic (TBA, Bo Yates); Gin Gin (TBA, Brad Cox); Into Champagne (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes); Just F Y I (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott); Lemon Muffin (Keith Asmussen, Wayne Lukas); Leslie’s Rose (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Power Squeeze (Daniel Centeno, Jorge Delgado); Regulatory Risk (Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown); Tapit Jenallie (Manny Esquivel, Eddie Milligan); Tarifa (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox); Thorpedo Anna (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Ways and Means (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown) and Where’s My Ring (Jose Lezcano, Val Brinkerhoff).

Also-Eligible: Manama Gold (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Our Pretty Woman (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Candied (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher)