Derby trail: Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom drills Friday
Catching Freedom, winner of the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, began his preparations for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby with a half-mile move in 48.4 seconds early Friday morning at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Brad Cox for Albaugh Family Stable, Catching Freedom worked at 5:30 a.m. EDT with exercise rider Edvin Vargas in the saddle. The duo cruised through an opening quarter-mile in 24.0 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.2.
“He’s settled in nicely since we shipped him back to Churchill from Fair Grounds,” Cox said. “He was impressive closing from that far back in the Louisiana Derby and I think the longer stretch at Churchill plus the mile-and-a-quarter should only help him in the Derby.”
Catching Freedom began his career at Churchill Downs where he won a one-mile maiden special weight contest by 3 3/4 lengths. The well-bred son of Constitution started down the road to the Kentucky Derby at Oaklawn when he won the Smarty Jones Stakes on New Year’s Day. Following that race, Catching Freedom finished third in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths to Sierra Leone and Track Phantom. In the Louisiana Derby, Catching Freedom closed from nearly nine lengths off the early pace to win by a length over Honor Marie.
About two hours after Catching Freedom completed his work, his stablemate Tarifa began her preparations for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with a half-mile breeze in 49.2 seconds. Owned by Godolphin, the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner is one of the top contenders for the first Friday in May with a near-perfect resumé. Her only defeat from five starts was a fourth-place finish in an allowance contest as a 2-year-old at Churchill Downs.
As of Friday, there were four Kentucky Derby contenders on the grounds at Churchill Downs: Catching Freedom, Endlessly, Honor Marie and Track Phantom.
Endlessly is slated to work Saturday while Honor Marie and Track Phantom have scheduled works on Sunday.
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These two horses in Kentucky Derby futures worked across the country Friday morning:
Abrumar (Divisidero) worked four furlongs in 48.6 seconds at Palm Meadows on Friday morning. It was the fifth fastest of 22 works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Palm Meadows. In his last start he won the Colonel Liam going one mile on the turf at Gulfstream Park on March 2 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Catching Freedom (Constitution), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Louisiana Derby), worked four furlongs in 48.4 seconds at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. It was the ninth fastest of 65 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he won the Louisiana Derby (G2) going 1 3/16 miles on the main track at Fair Grounds on March 23 for trainer Brad Cox.