Catching Freedom zooms from last to 1st in Louisiana Derby

New Orleans

Sometimes, you have to love it when a plan does not come together.

Catching Freedom was supposed to race closer to the lead Saturday. Not in last place, giving up nearly nine lengths of ground early in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby.

“The plan was to break and be involved to get a nice tracking trip,” his trainer Brad Cox said. “Obviously it wasn’t to be.”

And the last thing a deep closer needs is to be chasing a slow pace. That, too, was not part of the plan.

“When I saw the half in 48 and 1, I thought 'this isn’t going to be good,' ” Cox said. “But he showed up.”

In the long, 449-yard homestretch, jockey Flavien Prat continued his wide ride. It was inside the final 100 yards where Catching Freedom (3-1) finished picking off his 10 rivals to win by one length over Honor Marie (7-1) in the 111th running of the signature race at Fair Grounds. Both horses were assured of berths in Kentucky Derby 2024.

Catching Freedom was the same colt who was eighth early in the slop of last month’s 1 1/8-mile Risen Star (G2) before finishing third under Luis Sáez. It was the reason Cox wanted the Smarty Jones winner to be more forward. But right from the start Saturday, it was like Mike Tyson’s line that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

“He wasn’t able to get away as well as we were hoping,” Cox said. “He kind of got pinched a little bit, and he found himself last.”

As expected, post-time favorite Track Phantom (2-1) raced to the early lead from his outside post. With Common Defense (10-1) pressing him the whole way up the backstretch, he established a pace of 23.49, 48.33, 1:12.54 and 1:37.38.

The two of them looked like they were in retreat in the deep stretch, though, with Track Phantom failing to accelerate and Common Defense on the wrong lead. Tuscan Gold (11-1) was coming, but not as fast as Track Phantom and Honor Marie.

All but writing off a victory when the fractions flashed on the toteboard, Cox said he started to believe it could happen while Track Phantom was rolling in midstretch.

“Maybe the eighth pole,” he said. “I knew he was coming. Probably the eighth pole was where I thought he had a shot to get there.”

By then it was between Cox’s colt and Honor Marie, the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner last fall at Churchill Downs who closed to finish fifth in the Risen Star. Catching Freedom simply had more steam at the end to finish with a winning time of 1:56.16 on the main track made fast in the breeze and the 73-degree sunshine.

“I thought when we turned into the stretch, I would go and win,” Honor Marie’s jockey Ben Curtis said. “I think Flavien tracked me all the way around. It was a nice battle down to the wire.”

With 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points going to the top five finishers, Catching Freedom ran his total to 70 points and Honor Marie to 65, mathematically assuring them of places in the 20-horse starting gate May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Honor Marie, a colt by Honor Code, will take Whit Beckman, 41, to his first Kentucky Derby as a trainer. After some time working in Saudi Arabia, the former assistant to Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown started his own U.S. stable only 2 1/2 years ago at Churchill Downs.

“It’s one of those things,” Beckman said. “You set yourself up for something, and when it comes, you can’t necessarily be surprised you’re moving toward something when you get there. We’re just happy to be here.”

Tuscan Gold finished third, Track Phantom fourth and Common Defense fifth to pick up the remaining Derby points. Track Phantom’s total of 70 assures him of a chance to run for the roses. Catching Freedom paid $8.60, $4.40 and $3.20; Honor Marie $6.40 and $4.40; and Tuscan Gold $7.60.

Cox will have Prat on Rebel (G2) winner Timberlake next Saturday as the likely favorite in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn. Since Timberlake already has the points he needs to get to the Kentucky Derby, a decision will need to be made about which horse Prat will ride.

“We’ll let the dust settle,” said Cox, whose first Louisiana Derby win came four years ago with Wells Bayou. “Six weeks is a long time. They’ll sort themselves out. The jocks will sort themselves out as well as the horses. It’ll all come to play leading up to Derby week. We don’t have to make a decision until the day of entry.”

Call that part of the plan.