Kentucky Derby: Watch works from Fierceness, West Saratoga

Coming off a record-breaking victory in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on March 30, Fierceness breezed at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning in preparation for a highly anticipated start in the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

The 2023 Eclipse Award winner covered five furlongs in 1:00.35 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. The Repole Stable homebred colt worked in company with graded-stakes winner Agate Road.

“I thought he worked super – a solid five-eighths with a good gallop-out, exactly what we were targeting,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I think he is doing every bit as good, if not better, than he was going into the Florida Derby.”

Plans for Fierceness beyond Friday’s breeze are still indefinite, said Pletcher, who will continue to monitor weather conditions in Kentucky.

Fierceness provided Pletcher with his record eighth Florida Derby success while posting the largest winning margin in the 73-year history of Gulfstream’s Triple Crown prep, eclipsing Empire Maker’s old record of 9 3/4 lengths set in 2003. His Florida Derby winner Always Dreaming (2017) went on to win the Kentucky Derby.

Catalytic, second behind Fierceness in the Florida Derby, also worked Friday morning at Gulfstream Park.

“Everything went all right. I got him in a minute and four-fifths and the (six-furlong) gallop-out in 1:14-and-change,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.

“The key is to get there, and once you get there, anything can happen in the Derby,” Joseph said.

West Saratoga works six furlongs at Keeneland

West Saratoga continued his preparation for an expected start in the Kentucky Derby on May 4 by working six furlongs in 1:16.2 over a wet-fast track Friday morning.

With jockey Jesus Castanon aboard, West Saratoga produced eighth-of-a-mile fractions of 13.6, 26.4, 39.8, 51.2, 1:04.2, 1:16.2 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:30.2 while working on his own.

Trainer Larry Demeritte, who trains West Saratoga for owner Harry Veruchi, said the colt would return to his base at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington today and stay there until vanning to Churchill Downs on Friday, April 26 with a 3-furlong breeze scheduled there the next day.

Today’s work was the second for West Saratoga since he finished second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park on March 23.

“I am happy with the work, and right now everything is in place going forward,” Demeritte said of West Saratoga, who had breezed 3 furlongs at The Thoroughbred Center in 36.4 seconds on April 6. “That work was for speed and this one for stamina. You can’t do both at the same time. He will have a lot of long gallops (leading up to the Derby).”

Demeritte opted to bring West Saratoga to Keeneland for the longer work this morning.

“The Thoroughbred Center has a seven-furlong track and working six furlongs there would be almost like going two turns and the turns are tighter there,” Demeritte said. “With a classic horse going longer distances, they stay on their leads longer going into the turns.”

West Saratoga is scheduled to be the first Kentucky Derby starter for Demeritte, who says the realization of the run for the roses has not sunk in yet.

“He still has to get there. We are preparing to win and everybody feels the same,” Demeritte said. “Hey, I might be a first-time starter (in the Derby), but I’m not a rookie. I love being over there on Derby Day. I have been in a lot of Derbies – the Ohio Derby, Indiana Derby – but this is the ultimate Derby.”

Castanon has had one Kentucky Derby mount: Shackleford in 2011. Shackleford finished fourth in the Derby, and Castanon and Shackleford won the Preakness two weeks later.

“It’s about never giving up and to keep trying,” Castanon said of returning to the Derby scene 13 years after his initial run.

Castanon has ridden West Saratoga in his past two races, beginning with a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 10.

“After the first time Jesus got on him, he told me ‘this guy is real’,” Demeritte said. “He flew up from Tampa to work him (at Turfway) and then flew back to ride races that afternoon. That’s how professional he is.”

These three Kentucky Derby contenders worked across the country on Friday:

Catalytic (Catalina Cruiser) worked five furlongs in 1:00.7 at Gulfstream Park on Friday morning. It was the second fastest of seven works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Gulfstream Park. In his last start he placed second in the Florida Derby (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Gulfstream Park on March 30 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Fierceness (City of Light), a two-time Grade 1 winner (2024 Florida Derby, 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile), worked five furlongs in 1:00.5 at Palm Beach Downs on Friday morning. It was the fastest of five works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Palm Beach Downs. In his last start he won the Florida Derby (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Gulfstream Park on March 30 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

West Saratoga (Exaggerator), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Iroquois), worked six furlongs in 1:16.2 at Keeneland on Friday morning. It was the only work at the distance. His previous work was 13 days ago going three furlongs at The Thoroughbred Center. In his last start he placed second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the synthetic at Turfway Park on March 23 for trainer Larry Demeritte.