First Resort, taken off Derby trail with injury, returns for Harty

First Resort, winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in 2024 but taken off the 2025 Kentucky Derby trail with an injury, is back at work for trainer Eoin Harty.

The Godolphin homebred "had a small micro fracture in the hock," Harty said Tuesday morning. "I believe it was his left hock, and it just refused to heal. So I think we ended up using stem cells, and that seemed to be what made all the difference."

First Resort breezed four furlongs in 47.2 seconds at Turfway Park on Tuesday morning, third fastest of 52 at the distance. It was his third published work since the layoff.

The Uncle Mo colt was scratched from the John Battaglia Memorial in February 2025 after Harty noticed his injury. "He looked like a real Derby prospect, and it just didn't happen. But it's a business that's rife with disappointments. You can't get too high and you can't get too low."

Harty hasn't chosen a spot for First Resort's return, but it'll most likely be at Ellis Park, he said. "I want to get him fit first and then work from there. … Please God he comes out of these works in good shape because it's not going to take long."

Harty also has a promising 3-year-old filly in Hen Party, who finished second in the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3) at Saratoga on Sunday after running in last place until the stretch.

"She's kind of a quirky individual, and you never know exactly what you're going to get," Harty said of the Into Mischief filly, also a Godolphin homebred. "In her last couple of races, not necessarily the race the other day, but the two prior to that, she looked like she was hesitant and she seemed to be running in spots and acted like she might need some blinkers.

"So I toyed with the blinkers and went to put them on her for her workout. She just did not like that. She just got way too wound up. And I put a hood on her and that hood seemed to put her — something put her to sleep the other night. She was slow away. She broke well, but just showed no interest early on. And then middle of the turn, she decided, all right, well, time to run. I thought she was going to be pulled up at one point."

Before the Soaring Softly, Hen Party was third in the Mamzelle (G3) at Churchill Downs in April, and she won the Serena's Song at Turfway in March.

Harty isn't sure of her next start. "She looks like she's lightened up a bit, which is normal, she's shipped to Saratoga and back in a week. So I'll get some weight back on her, get her looking good and feeling good, choose something after that."

And Deloraine, a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred filly by Candy Ride. turned it around May 30 in the Belle Mahone (G3) at Woodbine, winning at 9-1 odds after six straight losses.

"All horses are different, and fillies can be difficult in particular, but she's got a buddy. I've taken down most of the wall between her and a big old draft pony. And they are the best of friends. And ever since those two got bonded up, she's really turned it around. …

"Her coat is good. She's a lot happier in the stall. Just everything about her, her whole demeanor, the only thing I could put it down to is her boyfriend."

Deloraine got off to a good start last year, finishing third in three stakes, including the Florida Oaks (G3) and Gazelle (G3), before finishing fourth in the Indiana Oaks (G3) and sixth in the Pucker Up (G3). Then she was hurt, Harty said, and she didn't race again until a Keeneland allowance in March, finishing ninth.

"Her comeback race was a good race, and the race in Toronto was a very, very good race," Harty said. "She was always on the bridle, always looked to be traveling very well, and ran accordingly."

Her next start could come in the Trilium (G3) at Woodbine on July 25.