Ky. Derby alumni: Runners in action at Saratoga, beyond

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.

2025 Kentucky Derby

Three runners from the Kentucky Derby have started again since the run for the roses: Journalism, Sandman and American Promise all returned in the Preakness on May 17. Journalism fared best of the three, finishing heroically to catch Gosger and win the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Sandman rallied for third, while American Promise checked in eighth.

Most of the entrants in the Kentucky Derby are back in action this Saturday. Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza, as well as the scratched Rodriguez, will clash in the Belmont Stakes. Both Citizen Bull and Neoequos turn back in distance for the Woody Stephens (G1). Five more also turn back in distance, as well as get a drop in class, in the Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs: Final Gambit, Burnham Square, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold and Coal Battle.

2024 Kentucky Derby

Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, Mystik Dan won for the first time since capturing the blanket of roses in 2024. Coming off a second in the Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn, Mystik Dan did one better in the Blame. The trip looked eerily familiar: he tracked the pace while saving ground under Brian Hernandez Jr., got through into the lane, opened up, and kept going. However, the finish wasn't a nail-biter like the Kentucky Derby had been: he won by a measured 1 1/4 lengths over Antiquarian.

Grand Mo the First returned to action May 24 in an allowance going 7 1/2 furlongs on the Gulfstream grass, his first start of the yeaer. Sent off the odds-on favorite, the son of Uncle Mo didn't have the best of trips: he broke a little bit slow, and even though he was still able to get into a tracking position, he had to check in the lane. He kept coming, however, only missing catching winner Eldest Son by a neck.

Four horses from the 2024 Kentucky Derby field are scheduled to race in the coming days. Both Fierceness and Just a Touch are entered to contest the Met Mile (G1) on Saturday at Saratoga. Epic Ride is also entered in stakes company Saturday. He will go five furlongs on the Churchill Downs grass in the Mighty Beau. Catalytic, second in an allowance optional-claiming race last time out, remains at that level at Gulfstream for his race Saturday at one mile on dirt.

2023 Kentucky Derby

Two horses from the 2023 Kentucky Derby field raced in Japan recently. 

Continuar returned to the winners' circle in the Ritto Stakes, a listed race on May 18 going seven furlongs on the dirt at Kyoto. It was the shortest distance of his career, and though the public ignored him as a 40-1 long shot the son of Drefong took to it well. He saved ground just behind the leading group, had aim on leader Smart Sunny in upper stretch, drove past to that foe's outside and scored by half a length.

Mandarin Hero contested the Oi Kinen on May 21. The race was his first start since November, and perhaps he needed it. He was never involved, and finished 13th in the field of 15.

2022 Kentucky Derby

Ethereal Road returned to action May 18 in a $16,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. He was left near the rear of the field of six after checking early. Ethereal Road made an honest rally in the lane but couldn't quite catch the rest; he checked in fourth, but beaten only a length. He was claimed out of the race by trainer Joe Sharp for new owner TEC Racing.

Two horses from the 2022 Kentucky Derby field are entered to race in the coming days. White Abarrio, unraced since winning the Ghostzapper (G3) in March, returns in Saturday's Met Mile, a race in which he ran third in 2023. Tiz the Bomb, who makes his first start since an eighth-place run in a starter allowance at Gulfstream in December, drops to the $7,500 claiming level for a 1 1/16 mile race on the dirt at Penn National on Thursday evening.

2021 Kentucky Derby

Like the King made his 7-year-old debut in a 7 1/2-furlong turf allowance at Gulfstream Park on May 24, the same race in which 2024 alumnus Grand Mo the First made his seasonal debut. Like the King settled at the rear after checking early, but could only run on evenly in the lane and settled for fourth, 4 1/4 lengths behind the winner Eldest Son.

Brooklyn Strong raced twice within the last month. First, he contested a $16,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the Penn National on May 16. He settled well off the pace in the field of five, and though he was not able to reel in the more forwardly placed Styner, he finished with good interest and rallied for second, 6 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Brooklyn Strong returned to the track at Parx on Monday for a $15,000 claiming race at the same 1 1/16-mile distnace on dirt. He was wide into the first turn, worked a place tracking in the second flight, but had no response when asked on the far turn and flattened out to finish sixth behind Hey Porter.

2020 Kentucky Derby

Enforceable made his second start of the year May 11 in the Clásico La Copa at Monterrico. He was keen to the early lead, and carried a clear lead for much of the race. He was headed past the five-sixteenths, and though he continued to battle into upper stretch, he flattened out through the final furlong and had to settle for third behind Gluck.