Triple Crown tracker: Just a Touch, Antiquarian lead 5
The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2024 Kentucky Derby
Just a Touch, who won an allowance in March at Fair Grounds in his first start since the 2024 Iowa Derby, ran his 4-year-old record to 2-for-2 after a victory in a second-level allowance-optional claiming race at Keeneland on Saturday. Sent off as the odds-on favorite in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race, the Brad Cox trainee prompted the pace set by long shot Passing Game, shook clear on the far turn and drew off to win by seven lengths over second-place Parchment Party.
Catalytic finished second in first-level allowance company at Gulfstream on April 12, his second runner-up finish at the level in two starts this year. Sent off the odds-on chalk in the one-turn dirt mile, he hit the gate and settled toward the rear of the seven-horse field. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee chased with interest down the lane but could not reel in front-running winner Princetown and finished second by 2 1/2 lengths.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at OP |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 3rd New Orleans Classic (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at PAY |
| 3 | Forever Young | 3rd Dubai World Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | 7th Mineshaft (G3) | Worked 4f March 8 at FG |
| 5 | T O Password | 1st Alw (Jan. 25 at Chukyo) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Resilience | 10th Belmont | Worked 5f April 13 at PAY |
| 7 | Stronghold | 10th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Worked 3f Monday at SA |
| 8 | Honor Marie | 7th American Pharoah Overnight | Worked 5f Sat. at CD |
| 9 | Endlessly | 3rd American (G3) | No works since last race |
| 10 | Dornoch | 4th Travers (G1) | Stands for $40,000 at Spendthrift |
| 11 | Track Phantom | 7th Louisiana (G3) | Worked 4f Mon. at CD |
| 12 | West Saratoga | 9th Alw (Nov. 6 at CD) | Sold to race in Dubai |
| 13 | Domestic Product | 3rd Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Ashford |
| 14 | Epic Ride | 4th Commonwealth (G3) | No works since last race |
| 15 | Fierceness | 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic | Worked 5f Sat. at PBD |
| 16 | Society Man | 6th Alw OC (Jan. 18 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 17 | Just Steel | 5th Oaklawn Mile (G3) | Worked 5f Tue. at OP |
| 18 | Grand Mo the First | 2nd Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 4f Sat. at GP |
| 19 | Catalytic | 2nd Alw OC (April 12 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 20 | Just a Touch | 1st Alw OC (Sat. at KEE) | No works since last race |
| SCR | Encino | 2nd Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) | Worked 4f Sat. at CD |
| SCR | Mugatu | 9th Clm (April 10 at KEE) | Worked 4f Sat. at HPT |
2024 Preakness Stakes
A drop to straight claiming company did not turn the light back on for Mugatu on April 10 at Keeneland. Entered in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race for a $40,000 tag, he settled at the rear and never mustered a rally. Mugatu crossed the wire ninth, 20 3/4 lengths behind winner Mo Hope.
Trained by Jeff Engler for owners Average Joe Racing Stable and Dan Wells, as he was when he ran into the Preakness, Mugatu will be moving. He was claimed out of the race to owner-trainer Fergus Bogle. Bogle's highest-profile horse to date before Mugatu is Adrasteia, who won at Keeneland and Churchill Downs last year and ran off the board in the Pucker Up (G3) and the Cardinal (G3).
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seize the Grey | 8th Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Gainesway |
| 2 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at OP |
| 3 | Catching Freedom | 7th Mineshaft (G3) | Worked 4f March 8 at FG |
| 4 | Tuscan Gold | 4th Preakness | Worked 4f Jan. 6 at PAY |
| 5 | Just Steel | 5th Oaklawn Mile (G3) | Worked 5f Tue. at OP |
| 6 | Uncle Heavy | 4th Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Imagination | 4th San Pasqual (G2) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Mugatu | 9th Clm (April 10 at KEE) | Worked 4f Sat. at HPT |
2024 Belmont Stakes
Antiquarian, unraced since the 2024 Belmont Stakes, returned a winner Saturday at Gulfstream. The Todd Pletcher trainee returned in a salty second-level allowance at seven furlongs on dirt, where he was sent off the odds-on favorite over the likes of stakes winner Shaq Diesel and stakes-placed Secret Chat. Antiquarian battled for the pace, cleared off into the stretch, and ran on to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Shaq Diesel.
In his second start of the year, The Wine Steward stepped back up to graded-stakes company for the Oaklawn Mile (G3) on March 29. The third choice in the field behind Saudi Crown and Banishing, the Mike Maker trainee tracked the duel between those two. He could not keep pace with that pair down the lane but kept on for third in the end, 10 1/2 lengths behind winner Banishing.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dornoch | 4th Travers (G1) | Stands for $40,000 at Spendthrift |
| 2 | Mindframe | 1st Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) | Worked 5f Fri. at PBD |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 3rd New Orleans Classic (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at PAY |
| 4 | Honor Marie | 7th American Pharoah Overnight | Worked 5f Sat. at CD |
| 5 | Antiquarian | 1st Alw OC (Sat. at GP) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Protective | 7th Alw OC (Jan. 5 at GP) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Seize the Grey | 8th Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $30,000 at Gainesway |
| 8 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at OP |
| 9 | The Wine Steward | 3rd Oaklawn Mile (G3) | Worked 5f Sat. at CD |
| 10 | Resilience | 10th Belmont | Worked 5f April 13 at PAY |