Kentucky Derby notes: Starters get final touches on a rainy Friday

The rains came Friday morning at Churchill Downs as contenders for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby put in their exercise over a sloppy track or confined their activity to walking the shedrow.

Scratch time for the Derby was 9 a.m. EDT, and there were no further defections. That meant Mugatu will not be in the starting gate for the $5 million classic test Saturday at 6:57 p.m. EDT.

Catalytic. With overnight rain that was heavy at times, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. decided to have Catalytic walk the shedrow Friday morning.

The lightly raced Florida Derby (G1) runner-up drew post no. 5 with Jose Ortiz to ride. In the Derby advance wagering after three days, Catalytic was 37-1.

Catching Freedom, Just a Touch. Catching Freedom and Just a Touch both had their final Derby training sessions, galloping 1 1/2 miles at 7:45 a.m. Friday over the sloppy surface.

“We’re ready to go. Let’s do this,” trainer Brad Cox said.

Domestic Produce, Sierra Leone. Trainer Chad Brown’s Kentucky Derby duo of Sierra Leone and Domestic Product hit the track just before 6 a.m. and galloped twice around beneath the rain drops.

Sierra Leone, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) in his most recent start, signaled his quality during his seasonal bow in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) when he was able to rally from ninth over a sealed, sloppy track after they went a half-mile of 49.67 seconds. If you are the company you keep, that race has continued to flatter the son of Gun Runner as the top five finishers in the Risen Star all are set to be in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.

“I knew I wanted to run there because of the long stretch and the timing of the race,” Brown said of the Risen Star. “You know it came up a super tough race and the weather was really challenging. But the horse ran against everything and still won … especially on a track that not many horses were closing on that day. This horse was able to overcome a lot and get there. And he’s really moved forward from there.”

Sierra Leone is the 3-to-1 second choice on the morning line.

Dornoch, Society Man. Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Dornoch had a scheduled walk day. His stablemate Society Man hit the track early under the watch of trainer Danny Gargan for a jog over the sloppy conditions but was feeling good enough to break into a gallop coming off the track.

Endlessly. The multiple-stakes winning colt took advantage of the 7:45-8 a.m. EDT training period Friday for Derby or Oaks runners.

The Oscar Performance offspring had regular exercise rider Walter Davilia at the controls as they did a one-mile tour of a sloppy racing strip. On hand to observe the exercise were trainer Michael McCarthy and his right-hand assistant Justin Curran.

“He was loving the track this morning,” McCarthy said. “It was good to see him going so well.’

The trainer was asked how he felt about his horse and his situation on the eve of Derby 150.

“I’m feeling good about where we are,” he said.

He was further asked if he was feeling “real good” about it all.

“I try to not get too high or too low,” was the reply. “But I’m feeling good.”

Epic Ride. Epic Ride jogged in the mile chute shortly before 8 a.m. EDT with Sophie Doyle aboard for trainer John Ennis.

Epic Ride will exit post no. 20 under Adam Beschizza.

“I just want him to run his race,” Ennis said of his hopes for Saturday. “And I just want the rain to stop. I want a fast track.”

Epic Ride will not go to the track Saturday morning.

Fiierceness. The Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite (5-2) took his final bit of exercise Friday at Churchill Downs during the 7:45-8 a.m. EDT training session limited to Oaks and Derby runners.

Trainer Todd Pletcher was trackside overseeing the exercise by the Repole Stable homebred who had regular exercise rider Danny Wright aboard. The two went in at the 5 1/2-furlong gap, then quickly broke off at the five-furlong pole for a solid one-mile navigation of the oval.

Pletcher was reminded that this is the 24th year that he will be running a horse in the world’s most famous race. He was asked if it is getting “old hat” by now.

“No way,” was the answer. “If anything, it just becomes more nerve-racking.”

After his Florida Derby winner came off the track following his leg stretching, the conditioner was asked how he assessed his situation heading into Kentucky Derby 150.

“All good,” was the simple reply.

Forever Young. Forever Young came on the track at 5:20 a.m. EDT, spent 10 minutes in the mile chute warming up under jockey Ryusei Sakai and then galloped on a sloppy track before returning to the chute for another 10 minutes to cool down before returning to the quarantine barn in a driving rain.

Looking on from the viewing stand at the six-furlong gap was trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

Yahagi trained Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine to Breeders’ Cup victories at Del Mar in 2021. He was asked what he would like to see from his undefeated runner to keep his record perfect.

“First of all, I want him to come back safe,” Yahagi said. “I don’t want him to get too much excited, and after that it is up to the jockey.”

Forever Young is scheduled to go to the track Saturday morning at 5:15 a.m. EDT.

Grand Mo the First. Grand Mo the First walked the shedrow under tack as trainer Victor Barboza Jr. opted to pass on going to the track as heavy rain fell.

“He had a strong gallop yesterday and schooled in the paddock yesterday afternoon and did very well,” Barboza said.

Grand Mo the First will exit post no. 15 under Emisael Jaramillo, starting next to Derby favorite Fierceness who led all the way in the Florida Derby, where Grand Mo the First was third.

Honor Marie. Honor Marie had a quiet morning during training hours but got a taste of the Oaks Day crowd, schooling in the paddock during the first race.

Just Steel. The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Just Steel hit the track early for an easy jog over the rain-soaked Churchill Downs surface. The son of Justify is coming into the Derby off a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 30, his 11th career start.

Mystik Dan. Trainer Kenny McPeek sent Mystik Dan out Friday morning at the scheduled Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks training time for a typical gallop.

With exercise rider Martin Reyes up, Mystik Dan went about a mile and three-eighths. The colt will start from post no. 3 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard in the Derby.

After three days of advance wagering, the winner of the Southwest Stakes (G3) and third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby, both at Oaklawn Park, was a 19-1 choice for the Kentucky Derby.

Resilience. With trainer Bill Mott keeping watch from astride his pony, Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) winner Resilience came out during the 7:45 a.m. EDT training period and galloped twice around.

Stronghold. Trainer Phil D’Amato repeated his early go with his Derby colt Stronghold Friday morning, sending the Ghostzapper offspring trackside at 5:30 a.m. EDT with exercise rider Sherri Alexander at the controls.

The two went right off out of the six-furlong chute on a sloppy strip as light rain fell and did a once-around tour of the big Churchill oval.

After she came off the strip, Alexander had a big smile. “He felt great,” she said.

Reports out of the D’Amato barn all week have been glowing concerning the Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner. The way the story goes, Stronghold has just gotten better and better since the turn of the year.

He started 2024 with a trip to New Mexico and a tally in the Sunland Derby. He came out of that one feeling very good about himself. Then he followed that with a game score over the top colt Imagination in Santa Anita’s biggest 3-year-old contest April 6, coming out of that race with his chest pumped up and good vibes flowing strongly.

Now he has looked strong all week in Kentucky and appears to be peaking just right as Derby looms.

D’Amato was asked about the possibility of putting his charge on the racetrack Saturday morning ahead of the race.

“I go about 50-50 with that,” the conditioner offered. “Some horses I put on the track (on race mornings); some not. We’ll play it by ear tomorrow.”

T O Password. T O Password came on the track at 5:20 a.m. EDT, spent 10 minutes in the mile chute warming up under jockey Kazushi Kimura and then galloped on a sloppy track before returning to the chute for another 10 minutes to cool down before heading to the quarantine barn in a driving rain.

Watching the morning activity from the viewing stand at the six-furlong gap was trainer Daisuke Takayanagi. T O Password will be the first Derby starter for Takayanagi.

“I want him to come back to the stable safe,” Takayanagi said. “Winning is most important. I am not concerned with his position. It is about how he feels and is comfortable (in the race).”

T O Password is not scheduled to go to the track in the morning.

Track Phantom. Trainer Steve Asmussen’s father, Keith, was on hand Friday morning to watch training, including seeing Kentucky Derby contender Track Phantom who jogged with Roberto Howell in the irons.

Asked who Keith would be rooting for, his grandson’s mount Just Steel or his son’s trainee Track Phantom, he simply said, “a dead heat.”

West Saratoga. West Saratoga jogged a mile and galloped a mile under Donte Lowery at 7 a.m. EDT as morning showers began to lessen in intensity.

Trainer Larry Demeritte said West Saratoga would not go to the track Saturday morning.

“I don’t take my horses to the track on race day,” Demeritte said, “except one time I had this filly from England who didn’t run well unless I would take her out.”

Jesus Castanon has the mount on West Saratoga, who is the first Derby starter for Demeritte and Veruchi.

“I would like to see him get to the first turn clear,” Demeritte said of West Saratoga, who will exit post no. 12. “Then on the backstretch lead the second flight and have the lead at the top of the stretch. The ideal trip.”

Mugatu, also-eligible. Mugatu (No. 21) walked the shedrow as trainer before Jeff Engler got word that there were no more defections from the main body of the Derby field that would have put Mugatu in the starting gate.

“Looks like we are going to New York,” said Engler, who plans to work Mugatu on Sunday and then ship to Aqueduct for next Saturday’s $200,000 Peter Pan (G3).