Triple Crown tracker: 10 in recent action include Forever Young
Photo:
Kaz Ishida / Eclipse Sportswire
The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2024 Kentucky Derby
Forever Young won his second straight race at the top level Saturday when he overhauled Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior in the Group 1 Saudi Cup.
Four others from the 2024 Kentucky Derby field also have seen recent action.
The only other one to race in graded company was Catching Freedom, who raced Feb. 15 in his first start since the Ohio Derby (G3) in June. He returned in the Mineshaft (G3) and was bet down to second favoritism behind eventual winner Hall of Fame. But he never fired and finished seventh of eight.
Epic Ride won his second race in a row Sunday at Turfway, taking an optional-claiming allowance from gate to wire. Catalytic was second in an optional-claiming allowance Feb. 16 at Gulfstream, his fifth second-place finish in seven career starts. Just Steel, making his first start since an injury in the Preakness, finished fifth as the favorite in an optional-claiming allowance at Oaklawn on Sunday.
Two other entrants from the 2024 Kentucky Derby are entered to race Saturday. Encino, who won his first race in nine months on Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds, steps back up to the graded-stakes level in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2). For that one-turn dirt race, he drew post 3 in a nine-horse field. Just a Touch, unraced since a second-place effort in the Iowa Derby last July, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a 1 1/16-mile dirt allowance at Fair Grounds. The race will be his first against older horses.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 1st Breeders’ Cup Classic | Worked 4f Sat. at PAY |
| 3 | Forever Young | 1st Saudi Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | 7th Mineshaft (G3) | No works since last race |
| 5 | T O Password | 1st Alw (Jan. 25 at Chukyo) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Resilience | 10th Belmont | Worked 3f Feb. 15 at PAY |
| 7 | Stronghold | 10th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Honor Marie | 8th Travers (G1) | Worked 4f Sat. at FG |
| 9 | Endlessly | 5th Belmont Derby (G1) | Worked 4f Sun. at SA |
| 10 | Dornoch | 4th Travers (G1) | Stands for $40,000 at Spendthrift |
| 11 | Track Phantom | 7th Louisiana (G3) | Worked 5f Sat. at FG |
| 12 | West Saratoga | 9th Alw (Nov. 6 at CD) | Sold to race in Dubai |
| 13 | Domestic Product | 3rd Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Ashford |
| 14 | Epic Ride | 1st Alw OC (Sun. at TP) | No works since last race |
| 15 | Fierceness | 2nd Breeders’ Cup Classic | No works since last race |
| 16 | Society Man | 6th Alw OC (Jan. 18 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 17 | Just Steel | 5th Alw OC (Sun. at OP) | No works since last race |
| 18 | Grand Mo the First | 2nd Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 4f Oct. 6 at GP |
| 19 | Catalytic | 2nd Alw OC (Feb. 16 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 20 | Just a Touch | 2nd Iowa Derby | Entered Sat. in Alw at FG |
| SCR | Encino | 1st Alw OC (Jan. 16 at FG) | Entered Sat. in Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) at GP |
| SCR | Mugatu | 9th Alw OC (Jan. 23 at GP) | Worked 4f Fri. at PMM |
2024 Preakness Stakes
Imagination faced older stakes horses for the first time in his career Jan. 25 in the 1 1/8-mile San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita. He disputed the pace and briefly led but weakened in the lane. He finished fourth, 2 3/4 lengths behind winner Katonah.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seize the Grey | 8th Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Gainesway |
| 2 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | 7th Mineshaft (G3) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Tuscan Gold | 4th Preakness | Worked 4f Jan. 6 at PAY |
| 5 | Just Steel | 5th Alw OC (Sun. at OP) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Uncle Heavy | 4th Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Imagination | 4th San Pasqual (G2) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Mugatu | 9th Alw OC (Jan. 23 at GP) | Worked 4f Fri. at PMM |
2024 Belmont Stakes
The Wine Steward raced Jan. 25 for the first time since the 2024 Belmont, and he came back a winner. He faced older horses for the first time in the Fifth Season. He prompted the pace set by Patriot Spirit, dueled down the lane and got up by a neck in the end over the early pacesetter. It was his first victory since August 2023 at Saratoga, when he beat New York-breds in the Funny Cide.
Mindframe, unraced since finishing second in the Haskell (G1) last July, is entered to return Saturday in the Gulfstream Park Mile. He drew the rail in the nine-horse field. The race will be his first attempt against older horses.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dornoch | 4th Travers (G1) | Stands for $40,000 at Spendthrift |
| 2 | Mindframe | 2nd Haskell (G1) | Entered in Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) Sat. at GP |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 1st Breeders’ Cup Classic | Worked 4f Sat. at PAY |
| 4 | Honor Marie | 8th Travers (G1) | Worked 4f Sat. at FG |
| 5 | Antiquarian | 5th Belmont | Worked 5f Fri. at PBD |
| 6 | Protective | 7th Alw OC (Jan. 5 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Seize the Grey | 8th Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Gainesway |
| 8 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 9 | The Wine Steward | 1st Fifth Season | Worked 5f Sat. at GP |
| 10 | Resilience | 10th Belmont | Worked 3f Feb. 15 at PAY |
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