Kentucky Derby pedigree: Can Catching Freedom win roses?

Catching Freedom was the first colt to earn points on the Kentucky Derby 2024 trail as a 3-year-old when he won Oaklawn Park’s listed Smarty Jones Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths on New Year’s Day. After a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Risen Star, Catching Freedom proved his Smarty Jones victory wasn’t a fluke and captured the Louisiana Derby (G2) by a length.

Conditioned by Brad Cox and piloted by Flavian Pratt, Catching Freedom traveled 1 3/16 miles over a fast track in a respectable 1:56.16, with a final furlong in a strong 12.52 seconds. Brisnet awarded him a career-best 100 speed rating. Catching Freedom will enter the Derby starting gate with 125 qualifying points.

Catching Freedom has won three of five starts and placed third once, earning $802,000.

Bred by WinStar Farm, Catching Freedom (Constitution - Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile) was consigned to the Keeneland September yearling sale by Warrendale Sales and sold to Albaugh Family Stables for $575,000.

Among the horses Albaugh Family Stables have campaigned are last year’s Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Angel of Empire, third in the Kentucky Derby; 2016 Blue Grass (G1) winner Brody’s Cause, seventh in the Derby; and Not This Time, runner-up by a neck in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Sire

Constitution (Tapit - Baffled, by Distorted Humor)  captured the Florida Derby and Donn Handicap (later renamed the Pegasus World Cup), both Grade 1 events at 1 1/8 miles, but failed in his only attempt at 1 1/4 miles in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), which was held over a sloppy track. In all, Tapit’s son made eight starts, winning half of them and placing third once, earning $1,031,596.

Constitution quickly made a name for himself as a sire in North America and Chile. His first crop included three Grade or Group 1 winners, Breakpoint and First Constitution in Chile and 2020 Belmont Stakes hero Tiz the Law But it must be noted that the race was contested at 1 1/8 miles. Tiz the Law also placed second in the Kentucky Derby.

Constitution’s first crop yielded seven other graded winners, including son Independence Hall, a multiple graded winner at a mile and 1 1/8 miles, and a daughter, Laura’s Light, is a multiple graded winner on the lawn from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.

The bulk of Constitution’s North American offspring are best through middle distances. But he has a few successes at classic distances, including Breakpoint, winner of the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano (G3) over the lawn, plus Greenwood Cup (G3) hero Ridin With Biden and Isaac Murphy Marathon winner Warrant, both won at 1 1/2 miles on dirt.

Constitution stands at no. 7 by earnings on the general sire list, with 33 winners from 151 starters this year.

The Constitution/Pioneerof the Nile cross has produced four winners from four starters, with two black-type earners, including California Oaks winner Anthonys Cleopatra.

Female family

Catching Freedom’s immediate family contains proven stakes performers at 1 1/8 miles, and his distaff line is a blend of stamina and speed.

His damsire Pioneerof The Nile, second in the Kentucky Derby, and third damsire, Belmont Stakes hero Tabasco Cat, offer stamina. Catching Freedom’s second damsire, Yonaguska, and fourth damsire, Crafty Prospector, are speed influences.

His dam Catch My Drift (Pioneerof the Nile - Drift to the Lead, by Yonaguska) stood in the winner’s circle in four of 10 attempts and was second or third three times, earning $280,540. She dominated the 1 1/8-mile listed Summer Colony Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths over the Saratoga dirt. In addition, the Chad Brown trainee closed for second, bested a half-length, in Belmont’s Turnback the Alarm Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles and closed out her career with a third-place finish in the Beldame (G1).

Catching Freedom is the third black-type earner from as many foals produced by Catch My Drift. His half-brother, the lightly raced Bishop’s Bay (Uncle Mo), hit the board in all four starts, including a thrilling finish in the Peter Pan (G3), losing to Arcangelo by a head, and placing second in the Ohio Derby (G3). Both starts were at 1 1/8 miles.

Another half-brother, the five-year-old Into Mischief gelding Strava, has hit the board in eight of 15 starts, including a pair of third-place finishes, one in the one-mile listed Ellis Park Derby and the other in the seven-furlong Harrods Creek Stakes at Churchill.

In the pipeline are two half-sisters: the 2-year-old Indeed (Improbable) was a $385,000 Fasig-Tipton August select yearling owned by Centennial Farms, and an unnamed yearling by Not This Time.

Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker - Star of Goshen, by Lord At War (ARG)) is the damsire of 13 black-type winners from 295 starters, including Grade 1 victors A Mo Reay (Beholder Mile) and Speedboat Beach (Malibu Stakes). His graded-stakes-winning offspring on dirt are capable to 1 3/16 miles and should handle longer distances.

Kentucky Derby winner or pretender?

Horses exiting the Louisiana Derby have done well in Kentucky in recent years.

Epicenter was second in 2022, and in 2021, Mandaloun, sixth in Louisiana, was awarded first in the Kentucky Derby after the disqualification of Medina Spirit, and Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie finished third.

Catching Freedom’s pedigree and last-to-first performance in Louisiana proves he has the stamina to handle the extra half-furlong of the Kentucky Derby, and he graduated at first asking at Churchill, so we know he can handle the dry track.

Catching Freedom doesn’t have gate concerns and breaks with the field but lingers near the back of the pack before making sustained bids around the far turn and powering up a swift late kick.

He changes leads correctly without paddling but has moderate leg extension with high knee action. He sometimes turns his head to the right and doesn’t always keep a straight path when next to another horse, but once he passes, Catching Freedom straightens out.

Four jockeys have guided Catching Freedom. Whoever handles the reins on the first Saturday in May must keep the colt free of traffic and not leave too much to do in the stretch. Catching Freedom will take care of the rest.