Triple Crown tracker: Sierra Leone leads alumni in action
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
Two entrants from the most recent Kentucky Derby have raced in recent weeks.
Saturday, Sierra Leone made his first start of his 4-year-old season in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic. The Chad Brown charge was bet down to 3-10 favoritism off of his victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic, but the race scratched down to a field of five and Touchuponastar was allowed to set a comfortable pace. Touchuponastar went on to win by 2 1/2 lengths over the stalking Hall of Fame, leaving Sierra Leone to settle for third.
Encino, who won two races at Turfway as a 3-year-old, returned to the starting gate in Florence, Ky., on Saturday for the Kentucky Cup Classic (G3). Bet as the 7-2 second favorite in the 12-horse field for trainer Brad Cox, he set the pace and fought down the lane when Mercante bore down. But Mercante got the best of him late, leaving Encino to finish second by a length.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mystik Dan | 9th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Scheduled to work Sat. |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 3rd New Orleans Classic (G2) | No works since last race |
| 3 | Forever Young | 1st Saudi 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 4f Sat. at PAY |
| 7 | Stronghold | 10th Pegasus World Cup (G1) | Entered Sat. in American Pharoah at OP |
| 8 | Honor Marie | 8th Travers (G1) | Worked 5f Fri. at FG |
| 9 | Endlessly | 5th Belmont Derby (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at SA |
| 10 | Dornoch | 4th Travers (G1) | Stands for $40,000 at Spendthrift |
| 11 | Track Phantom | 7th Louisiana (G3) | Worked 5f March 17 at FG |
| 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 | 1st Alw OC (Feb. 23 at TP) | Worked 4f Fri. at TTC |
| 15 | Fierceness | 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic | No works since last race |
| 16 | Society Man | 6th Alw OC (Jan. 18 at GP) | Worked 4f Fri. at PBD |
| 17 | Just Steel | 5th Alw OC (Feb. 23 at OP) | Entered Sat. in Oaklawn Mile (G3) and Eclipse Overnight at OP |
| 18 | Grand Mo the First | 2nd Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 4f Sat. at GP |
| 19 | Catalytic | 2nd Alw OC (Feb. 16 at GP) | Worked 3f Sun. at GP |
| 20 | Just a Touch | 1st Alw (March 1 at FG) | Worked 4f March 15 at PAY |
| SCR | Encino | 2nd Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) | No works since last race |
| SCR | Mugatu | 9th Alw OC (Jan. 23 at GP) | Worked 4f March 18 at PMM |
2024 Preakness Stakes
Just Steel, a D. Wayne Lukas trainee who has missed the board in a pair of allowance-optional claiming races at Oaklawn since returning from an injury from the Preakness, is slated to race again Saturday. He is cross-entered in a pair of races in Hot Springs, the Oaklawn Mile (G3) and the Eclipse Overnight Stakes. In the Oaklawn Mile, he drew post 4 in an eight-horse field and has been named a 15-1 long shot on the morning line. In the six-furlong Eclipse, he drew gate 2 in a 10-horse field and was given a 12-1 chance on the morning line.
| 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) | Scheduled to work Sat. |
| 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 Alw OC (Feb. 23 at OP) | Entered Sat. in Oaklawn Mile (G3) and Eclipse Overnight 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 Alw OC (Jan. 23 at GP) | Worked 4f March 18 at PMM |
2024 Belmont Stakes
New York-bred The Wine Steward, who beat open company in the Fifth Season in his 4-year-old debut, returns to stakes company at Oaklawn on Saturday. Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Jose Ortiz for his upcoming start, The Wine Steward drew the rail in an eight-horse field. He is the 4-1 third choice on the morning line behind Saudi Crown and 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 4f Fri. at PBD |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 3rd New Orleans Classic (G2) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Honor Marie | 8th Travers (G1) | Worked 5f Fri. at FG |
| 5 | Antiquarian | 5th Belmont | Worked 4f Sun. at PBD |
| 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) | Scheduled to work Sat. |
| 9 | The Wine Steward | 1st Fifth Season | Entered Sat. in Oaklawn Mile (G3) |
| 10 | Resilience | 10th Belmont | Worked 4f Sat. at PAY |