Derby alumni: Catch up with 23 who have been in action

The Derby Alumni tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby, both this year and in previous years, keeping up with what they have done since they ran for the roses.

2024 Kentucky Derby

Four runners from the 2024 Kentucky Derby lined up against each other in the Grade 1 Travers on Saturday. Fierceness, who bounced back from a 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby with a win in the Jim Dandy (G2), turned in another strong effort. He stalked the pace, took the lead approaching the quarter pole and held on to win by a head over a closing Thorpedo Anna. Sierra Leone, settled in his customary spot near the rear early, chased on honestly as usual and finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Fierceness. Dornoch attended the pace but flattened out late to fourth, while Honor Marie never rallied and trailed home eighth and last.

Domestic Product has come into his own since turning back in distance after the Kentucky Derby. He romped in the Dwyer (G3) at a one-turn mile on July 6 and followed that up Saturday with a just-in-time rally to win the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga by a neck over Prince of Monaco.

Mugatu contested the Smarty Jones, the local prep for the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, on Saturday. Toward the rear of a five-horse field early, he came up empty down the lane and crossed the wire fourth, 9 1/2 lengths behind the winning Gould's Gold.

2023 Kentucky Derby

It has been a busy month for runners in the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Six have been in action, with another one entered. Furthermore, Kingsbarns was retired from racing. He won the Stephen Foster (G1) in his last start and had earned a bid to the Breeders' Cup Classic, but he strained a ligament in an Aug. 4 workout and was retired from racing. He will stand stud at Spendthrift Farm.

On Aug. 4, Hit Show won at the graded level for the first time since the 2023 Withers (G3). Bet as the 7-5 second choice in the West Virginia Governor's (G3) on the West Virginia Derby (G3) undercard at Mountaineer, he settled toward the rear of the main pack, wrested the lead in the lane and outslugged Heroic Move to score by a half-length.

The only other 2023 Kentucky Derby entrant to race in stakes company recently was Lord Miles, who contested the Charles Town Classic (G2) on Friday. One of the longer shots in the 10-horse field, he settled at the rear, never mustered a run and finished a well-beaten last behind winning stablemate Skippylongstocking.

Four others from the field ran in allowance races recently. Cyclone Mischief cleared his second-level allowance condition in a six-furlong dirt sprint Aug. 3 at Ellis, stalking the pace and battling past odds-on favorite Rhyme Schemes. Rocket Can tracked the pace and kept on in a third-level dirt mile allowance at Saratoga on Friday but had to settle for second after Big Blue Line rallied to catch him and win by a neck. King Russell finished fifth in allowance company at Ellis on Aug. 18, and Jace's Road was sixth in an allowance-optional claimer on Saturday at Saratoga, his first start since the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Sun Thunder, who has yet to win this year but has hit the board in all six starts, was entered in a first-level allowance going a mile on the Saratoga dirt Wednesday. The 2-1 morning-line favorite in a field of seven, he drew post 4.

2022 Kentucky Derby

Three horses from the 2022 Kentucky Derby have lined up in the starting gate in recent weeks.

Happy Jack attempted to earn his way into the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Saturday in the Pat O'Brien. (G2). Near the pace early, he lost ground around the turn and did not kick on in the lane, crossing the wire fifth of eight, beaten 8 3/4 lengths by Raging Torrent.

Charge It stepped up to top-level company for the first time this year in the Whitney (G1) on Aug. 3, a race in which he had finished fourth in 2023. Though he raced in range early, he came up empty in the late stages and was eased home to finish 10th and last.

Classic Causeway contested the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup at Ellis on Aug. 4. In range of the pace through the early and middle stages of the 1 1/4-mile race, he began to empty out around the final turn. He finished 11th and last, 12 1/4 lengths behind the winner, Highway Robber.

One other runner, Tiz the Bomb, has been entered to race. He drew the sixth gate of eight in a $16,000 claiming turf mile Sunday at Gulfstream Park. It will be his third start since selling at Keeneland in April, and the biggest class break of his career.

2021 Kentucky Derby

After a victory in allowance company at Woodbine in June, Like the King stepped into graded-stakes company Friday for the first time in almost two years for the King Edward (G2). Settled at the rear of midfield in the one-mile turf race at Woodbine, he saved ground but could run on only evenly late. He crossed the wire sixth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by his stablemate Filo Di Arianna, who won at odds-on.

2020 Kentucky Derby

Four horses from the 2020 Kentucky Derby have raced recently, including a pair of winners.

Enforceable continues a strong new phase of his career in Perú. On July 29, he won the Clásico Independencia (G2) at about 1 1/2 miles on dirt in dominant fashion. Keen to the front early, he was never threatened. He drew off even further down the lane, crossing the wire 7 1/2 lengths clear of El Virrey.

Necker Island won an allowance race at Mountaineer on Aug. 4, on the undercard of the West Virginia Derby. Sent off the odds-on favorite in the non-conditioned, six-furlong sprint, he chased midfield, made a sweeping wide move, and drew off to win by 3 3/4 lengths over Midnight Escape.

The two others from the 2020 Kentucky Derby class who were recently in action both hit the board. Storm the Court set the pace in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance-optional claimer at Laurel on Aug. 2 but flattened out late to finish third, three lengths behind the winner Crisper. South Bend was also third in allowance-optional claiming company in his last start, closing to be beaten only 1/2 length by J P Hellish in a 1 1/8-mile race on the Woodbine Tapeta on Aug. 4.

2019 Kentucky Derby

The last month has been a quiet time for the 2019 Kentucky Derby field. Though Gray Magician, Long Range Toddy and Tax all have been in either the starting gate or the work tab this year, no one from the field has raced or worked recently.