Barn Tour: Joseph updates on Derby hopefuls, veteran stars

Saffie Joseph Jr.’s career took a big jump in 2024, when his graded-stakes wins doubled from a year earlier to 16 and earnings shot up more than 50% to $16.7 million.

It’s hard to sustain that level of growth, but Joseph kept it going last year with $17.7 million in earnings and another 16 graded wins.

“Just trying to improve as a whole team, and I appreciate that the owners continue to give us good horses,” Joseph told Horse Racing Nation this week. “And hopefully just keep building on it and trying to get better. You're always trying to get better and better. That's the goal.”

That goal appears to be in reach again this year, as Joseph already has won two graded stakes – including his second straight Pegasus World Cup – and has a handful pursuing the Kentucky Derby trail.

Joseph, who has about 170 horses in training, provided updates on 14 of his runners, from up-and-comers to veteran stars, for HRN's Barn Tour series.

3-year-olds

Solitude Dude. This Yaupon colt is 3-for-3 after breaking his maiden with a 9 1/2-length romp at Gulfstream Park in November, then a black-type stakes at Tampa Bay by eight lengths and a last-out win in the listed Swale by 3 3/4 lengths going seven furlongs. He’ll try to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points Saturday in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream. “He's going to have a test to pass this time, going two turns for the first time, He definitely has the ability, the two turns are going to be the test. I think a mile and sixteenth could be in his reach, but he has to go there and prove it first. … Very good horse. I think he's Grade 1 level at one turn. I'm pretty confident of that. And as I said, the two turns, until they do it, you don't know. The Yaupon on the top kind of gives you a little question mark as far as what they've done distance-wise, but he's got Into Mischief from the bottom side. He does relax very well, so hopefully that helps him get the distance.”

Bravaro. The Upstart colt picked up 10 Derby points when finishing second behind Nearly in the Holy Bull (G3). It was his first loss in three starts after he broke his maiden and then won a black-type stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meet. He’s also entered in the Fountain of Youth. “I thought he ran well in the Holy Bull. Second best on the day. Should move forward from the race. Has trained super since then, two great works. I feel like he's sitting on a big race. ... He's a good horse. New York bred, but he's definitely an open-company horse. He enjoys his training and has some gears there. He's a very promising horse. Great-looking horse. Strong, muscular horse. I feel like he's going to put up a good showing this week.”

Bull by the Horns. Joseph’s third entry in the Fountain of Youth, the Essential Quality colt broke his maiden at Gulfstream on his second try and then was third last out in an optional-claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs. “He's a bit different as in his numbers aren't fast enough as the (other) horses yet, but he's a horse that you just feel like he keeps improving. He does want distance of ground, which is a good thing. And he has had a good preparation into this race. I feel like with the right kind of pace tempo, he's going to show up and run as good as he can.”

Hammond. This Charlatan colt broke his maiden on second try at Gulfstream and was third last out in the Swale. He’ll vie for Derby points Saturday in the Gotham (G3). “We thought he ran creditable last time. He made a big jump on his figures up to that point. He was winning, he had won a stake, but they weren't up to that level yet. He ran third last time when he jumped up on the Rags and the Beyer figures. He actually didn't break good that day, so he made a middle move. The race was even better than the final margin because he had to make that middle move after breaking poorly. I feel like the Gotham is a good chance for him to go a one-turn mile. He's going to need to improve again, but he's showing signs that he is.”

Spirit Doll. This Tiz the Law filly won her debut at Saratoga then was sixth in the Spinaway (G1) before shipping to Gulfstream and switching to turf to win the black-type Our Dear Peggy Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in October, her most recent start. She’s entered in Saturday’s Herecomesthebride (G3), going one mile on turf at Gulfstream. “She won impressively on the turf first time out. And then after that, the race rained off, we scratched her. And then the next race, she got sick. So she's had a little interruption on preparation. But she's over all that. She's doing well. She's going to have to improve, but her turf race was very impressive. And we feel like if that's who she's going to be, then she could compete against these horses.”

Older horses

Skippylongstocking. The 7-year-old son of Exaggerator finally got a Grade 1 win in the Pegasus, bringing his total of graded wins to 11. The Pegasus was his second win in a row, following his score in the Dec. 20 Harlan’s Holiday (G3). “The plan's not definitive yet, but as of right now, we're leaning towards going to the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita, obviously, on March 7. … There's a possibility of Dubai, but right now we're leaning towards the Santa Anita Handicap.”

White Abarrio. Also a 7-year-old, the son of Race Day looked to be on his way to a repeat win in the Pegasus World Cup until Skippy passed him by. He followed his 2025 Pegasus win with a score in the Ghostzapper (G3) but is 0-for-4 since. He’s pointed to the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 18. “He's doing well. He's coming to the race good. He's going to go straight to the Oaklawn Handicap, and hopefully he can go there and win it.”

Movin’ On Up. The 5-year-old Accelerate mare was third last out in the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) and second by a head before that in the listed Suwanee River. She’s entered in Saturday’s Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream. “She's had a couple hard beats in the last two races. Kind of chased fast paces, made the lead and just got run down. So hopefully this time she could kind of just time it a little better and hopefully get that graded event.”

Public Defender. This 5-year-old Constitution mare has had two starts for Joseph, finishing third in the Suwanee and eighth last out in the Endeavour (G3). She also is entered in the Honey Fox. “She ran good the first time in the Suwannee River for us. And then last time at Tampa, just a paceless race and hung wide. She was like five wide, six wide on every bend. She basically got no shot. So this race should get pace, and hopefully she could set a better trip and if she could run back to the Suwannee River, that race is good enough to run well here.”

Haulin Ice. This 5-year-old Coal Front mare has had two starts since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She was second by a neck in the black-type Abundantia Stakes at Gulfstream and won the Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes by 11 3/4 lengths Friday at Oaklawn. “She obviously made her comeback at Oaklawn. She loves Oaklawn. She saves her best races for there. I mean, she has won graded stakes in New York, too. But Oaklawn just brings her the best of her, and that was a very impressive comeback. She's actually shipping back right now to Florida. She's going to be here, and then she's going to go back to Oaklawn for the Matron.”

Claret Beret. This 5-year-old filly by Not This Time broke a five-race losing streak with a five-length win in the Royal Delta (G3) on Feb. 14. “I'm very impressed with her last time. That was the first time, since we had her, we ran her two turns and she definitely did it the right way. Beat a very good Royal Delta field. There were some nice fillies in there, and she's going to go to the Apple Blossom (G1, April 11).”

Mystic Lake. A 5-year-old mare by Mo Town, she has won five of her last six starts, including the black-type Minaret Stakes on Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs. She is pointed to the Manatee at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7.

R Disaster. This 5-year-old mare by Awesome Slew has finished first or second in all 13 career starts and missed winning by a head in the Dream Supreme at Churchill Downs in November, her most recent start. She’ll make her first 2026 start in March 7 Hurricane Bertie (G3), where she was second by a neck last year.

Indy Bay. After being eased in the Cotillion (G1) in September, the 4-year-old filly by Take Charge Indy returned last month with a 10th-place finish in the Inside Information (G2). She also will return in the Hurricane Bertie.