Photo:

Scott Serio / Eclipse Sportswire

The Derby Alumni tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby, both this year and in previous years, keeping up with what they have done since they ran for the roses.

2024 Kentucky Derby

Three runners from the most recent Kentucky Derby raced at the stakes level in recent weeks. Two, Mystik Dan and Stronghold, tried top older horses in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 25. Mystik Dan finished ninth behind White Abarrio, and Stronghold was 10th. The other horse to face stakes company recently was Track Phantom, who finished seventh behind Hit Show on Jan. 18 in the Louisiana (G3) after setting the early pace.

Five other entrants recently raced at the allowance level, with three finding the winners’ circle. Epic Ride won an allowance at Turfway on Jan. 17, giving him his third career victory. T O Password, making his second start since having knee chips removed, won Jan. 25 at Chukyo. Encino, who raced for the first time since being scratched from the run for the roses, returned a winner Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds. Two others, Society Man and Mugatu, ran off the board in recent allowances at Gulfstream Park.

Two runners from the most recent Kentucky Derby are entered to race this weekend. Catching Freedom, unraced since finishing fourth in the Ohio Derby (G3), returns to action Saturday at Fair Grounds in the Mineshaft (G3). Catalytic, who finished second by a head in an optional-claiming allowance route at Gulfstream in December, returns to the same level there on Sunday.

Two others returned to the work tab in recent weeks after layoffs. Resilience worked Saturday for the first time since finishing 10th in the Belmont Stakes. Endlessly posted a drill Monday for the first time since a fifth-place run in the Belmont Derby (G1).

2023 Kentucky Derby

Six entrants from the 2023 Kentucky Derby raced in stakes company in recent weeks. Hit Show rediscovered his winning ways in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds, overcoming a slow break and rallying from last to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Skinner, toward the rear early, rallied to finish third in the same race.

The other four recent stakes runners each ran off the board. Rocket Can was fourth in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream on Jan. 25, Raise Cain was fifth in the Fifth Season at Oaklawn on Jan. 25, Continuar was fourth in the Hakurei Stakes at Tokyo on Feb. 1 and Derma Sotogake was fifth in the Saga Kinen at Saga on Feb. 6.

Cyclone Mischief made the first start of his 5-year-old year a winning ne, drawing off to win a 6 1/2-furlong allowance sprint on the Gulfstream dirt on Jan. 26. It was his fourth career win and his first since August at Ellis Park. King Russell, seeking his second career win, finished second by 1 3/4 lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Bedard in an allowance at Oaklawn on Feb. 3

Confidence Game, most recently third in an allowance-optional claiming race at Fair Grounds on Jan. 16, is expected to return to action Saturday but has two options for a start. He is cross-entered in the Dust Commander Stakes at Turfway and an allowance-optional claiming race at Gulfstream.

Jace’s Road, who most recently ran third in a claiming race at Turfway in December, worked back after that start but was retired to a farm in Kentucky in January, according to a post on X from owner West Point Thoroughbreds.

2022 Kentucky Derby

Two entrants from the 2022 Kentucky Derby recently won at the graded or group level. White Abarrio, already a top-level winner in the 2022 Florida Derby (G1) and the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), added another signature victory in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee came away better than he did when second in the Mr. Prospector (G3) the month before, tracked in range, and took complete command in the lane to win by 6 1/4 lengths over favored Locked.

Trainer Kenny McPeek opted to send Rattle N Roll to Saudi Arabia for his first start since winning the Clark on Nov. 29. Rattle N Roll raced in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3) on Jan. 25, an automatic qualifier for the Saudi Cup (G1). He made a sharp rally, drawing off to win by 4 3/4 lengths and earning a spot in the world’s richest horse race.

One other entrant from the 2022 Kentucky Derby has been in recent action. Crown Pride lined up for the Saga Kinen on Feb. 6, finishing eighth behind Meisho Funjin.

2021 Kentucky Derby

Three horses from the 2021 Kentucky Derby field have seen recent action. Brooklyn Strong finished fourth in a starter-optional claiming race at Aqueduct on Jan. 19, the best recent placing of any of the three. In the 1 1/4-mile race he was in range with a half-mile to go but flattened out, finishing well behind a runaway winner and missing the show by a head. He cuts back to a flat mile at Aqueduct on Friday, also dropping from a starter-optional condition to a $16,000 claiming tag.

Hidden Stash faced allowance-optional claiming company Jan. 25 at Turfway, finishing fifth for the second straight time. He saved ground toward the rear in the one-mile race, but never mounted a threat. Helium finished sixth in a 1 1/8 mile claiming race at Aqueduct on Feb. 1, racing for a $16,000 tag. He raced in range early, but flattened out through the final three furlongs.

2020 Kentucky Derby

No one from the 2020 Kentucky Derby field has returned to action for an 8-year-old debut, though horses including South Bend, Necker Island, Ny Traffic and Enforceable were active through the second half of 2024 and have not been announced to be retired.

2019 Kentucky Derby

The 2019 Kentucky Derby field remains quiet in recent weeks, with the most recent race being Gray Magician’s second-place finish at the allowance level in June.