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Japan National Association of Racing TV

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 made his first start since the Kentucky Derby in the Japan Dirt Classic at Oi on Wednesday. Sent off an odds-on favorite despite the long layoff, Forever Young stumbled out of the gate but nonetheless settled to track just behing the leader. He rallied outside of pacesetter Kashima Espada in upper stretch, drove clear, and held off a stout run from Mikki Fight to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Forever Young is the only one from the Kentucky Derby field to have raced in the last two weeks. Society Man had been entered in the Oklahoma Derby (G3), but worked Sept. 28 and was scratched from the Sept. 29 race. Encino, the Lexington (G3) winner who had not worked since April 27 and was scratched from the Kentucky Derby, returned to the work tab Oct. 1 at Keeneland.

2024 Preakness Stakes

A pair of runners from the Preakness Stakes raced in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 21. Preakness winner Seize the Grey continued to burnish his record: he set a pressured pace, turned back a bid from Stronghold, and drew off by 3 3/4 lengths over that foe. Uncle Heavy also contested the Pennsylvania Derby, settling near the rear and chasing on for fourth, 5 3/4 lengths behind Seize the Grey.

Mugatu, who last finished fourth behind Batten Down in the Bourbon Flight  at Churchill Downs on Oct. 21, returns to the races Saturday in the Maryland Million Classic. One of three sophomores facing older in that 1 1/8-mile race at Laurel, he drew post 9 in the field of 11, plus two also-eligible entrants.

Tuscan Gold, off the work tab since June 1, has returned to serious training. The Chad Brown trainee drilled Sunday, going three furlongs at Saratoga.

2024 Belmont Stakes

Belmont winner Dornoch, coming out of a fourth-place finish in the Travers (G1), has been retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm. He had been pointing to a final start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but veterinarians discovered some bone bruising. He would have needed too much time off to make it to the Breeders’ Cup, so his connections retired him one start early.

In addition to Seize the Grey, Protective also raced in the Pennsylvania Derby. That return to Grade 1 company came a month after he broke his maiden at Saratoga. Protective settled near the rear of the field, never made a rally, and finished 10th in the 11-horse field.