Catalytic
Owned by Ocala residents Tami Bobo, George Isaacs and Julie Davies and a graduate of Davies early training, Catalytic was back on the track Wednesday at 7:30 a.m., with regular exercise rider Olaf Hernandez aboard.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. had the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) runner-up gallop a mile-and-a-half.
“He’s going to school in the paddock during race two this afternoon,” Joseph said Wednesday morning regarding the colt’s afternoon schedule. “Tomorrow, he’ll gallop again and maybe school in the paddock, depending on how today goes.”
“All is well with him,” Joseph said. “He’s been handling everything very well so far.”
Catching Freedom
A graduate of Barry Berkelhammer’s early training program at Abracadabra Farm in Ocala, Fla., Catching Freedom is scheduled to school in the paddock Thursday.
Dornoch
A graduate of Raul Reyes’ Kings Equine in Ocala, Fla., Dornoch came out before 6 a.m. to train while stablemate Just a Touch hit the track for a gallop and gate schooling during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses.
“I wanted to school at the gate and I only have one rider so one will train early,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “Society Man did the gate today and I don’t know if I’ll take him again tomorrow. He trained really well today at that time and Dornoch looked good. I’m pleased with how my horses are doing. I think I have two super sound horses and they’re both training good. Just have to take it day by day.”
Gargan has often given Dornoch two walk days leading into some of his races, saying it hones the son of Good Magic’s early speed. That may be the plan again heading into Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, although Gargan said he is still deciding whether to send the bay colt to the track Thursday.
“Dornoch sometimes walks a couple days going into a race. It makes him sharper out of the gate,” Gargan explained. “I don’t know exactly what I’m doing with him. He could walk and he could train. I’ll think about it tonight. But all the races that he’s broke good and come out of the gate on the lead, we’ve walked him two days into it. So there is a big chance he’ll walk. Society Man we want to break and settle, so he’ll train every day. He’ll train through Friday.”
Endlessly
A graduate of Barry Berkelhammer’s early training program at Abracadabra Farm in Ocala, Fla. Endlessly went through a mile-and-three-eighths gallop with Walter Davila in the tack.
“He looks good,” a fan offered as the four-time stakes winner cruised by.
“That’s him,” trainer Michael McCarthy offered back. “If he didn’t look good, I’d be worried. But he’s looking good.”
Fierceness
A graduate of the Ocala Stud early training program in Ocala, Fla., Fierceness was on the Churchill oval at 7:30 a.m. under Danny Wright for a mile-and-a-quarter tour of the oval, followed by a jog down to the starting gate in the mile chute where the dark bay youngster practiced entering a version of the 20-hole gate he’ll see Saturday. Pletcher was nearby to make sure all went well. It did and a return to Barn 39 followed shortly thereafter.
Fierceness, 2023’s 2-year-old champion, will be the record-extending 65th starter for trainer Todd Pletcher, a 56-year-old native of Dallas. Since he saddled his first Derby starters in 2000, the champion trainer has missed only one year (2003) in which he hasn’t had a least one starter in the world’s most famous horse race.
Twice (2007, 2013) he has started five runners in the field. Four other times (2000, 2015, 2018, 2021) he had four entered. On four additional occasions (2005, 2015, 2017, 2022) he sent out three entrants.
Grand Mo the First
Grand Mo the First received his early education and was consigned to the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale by Keiber Rengifo’s Golden Rock Thoroughbreds, located in Ocala, Fla. Trained by South Florida-based Victor Barboza Jr., Grand Mo the First spent part of the morning walking in the grassy area behind Barn 41 and giving fans on their way into the track for Dawn at the Downs a real up-close look at a Kentucky Derby runner.
“No grass at Gulfstream Park [in the barn area],” trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said.
Once on the track, exercise rider Amel Macias took Grand Mo the First to the starting gate where he stood to the satisfaction of Barboza and then galloped a mile-and-a-half.
Just a Touch
A graduate of David Scanlon’s Scanlon Training & Sales at Oak Ridge Training Center in Morriston, Fla., Just a Touch is scheduled to school in the paddock Thursday.
Sierra Leone
A graduate of David Scanlon’s Scanlon Training & Sales at Oak Ridge Training Center in Morriston, Fla., Sierra Leone came out at his customary time during the 7:30 a.m. training period, galloping twice around over the Churchill Downs track.
Among the many onlookers at the Brown barn Wednesday morning was Brook Smith, who owns 16% of in partnership with Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg as he enjoys his first venture as a Kentucky Derby owner.
“I’m just kind of soaking it in still,” Smith said. “I know waking up on Derby Day and heading to the track will be a lot different than it’s ever been before. I’m excited. I’m anxious but at the same time I’m more excited because if he runs his race, it’s going to be exciting.”
He is determined to share the moment literally and figuratively as he has pledged 10% of the colt’s earnings to Churchill Downs’ Backside Learning Center with plans to contribute an additional $100,000 to BLC should Sierra Leone prevail.
“You have horses who are winning and if you just give a small percentage of the purse to the backside, it’s that simple,” Smith said. “A little bit moves the needle significantly.”
Society Man
A graduate of the early training program at Chetley and Nellie Breedon’s Grade One Investments located at Two Springs Farm in Micanopy, Fla., Society Man hit the track for a gallop and gate schooling during the 7:30 – 7:45 a.m. training window for Derby and Oaks horses.
“I wanted to school at the gate and I only have one rider so one will train early,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “Society Man did the gate today and I don’t know if I’ll take him again tomorrow. He trained really well today at that time and Dornoch looked good. I’m pleased with how my horses are doing. I think I have two super sound horses and they’re both training good. Just have to take it day by day.”
Gargan has often given Dornoch two walk days leading into some of his races, saying it hones the son of Good Magic’s early speed. That may be the plan again heading into Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, although Gargan said he is still deciding whether to send the bay colt to the track Thursday.
“Dornoch sometimes walks a couple days going into a race. It makes him sharper out of the gate,” Gargan explained. “I don’t know exactly what I’m doing with him. He could walk and he could train. I’ll think about it tonight. But all the races that he’s broke good and come out of the gate on the lead, we’ve walked him two days into it. So there is a big chance he’ll walk. Society Man we want to break and settle, so he’ll train every day. He’ll train through Friday.”
Track Phantom
Co-owned by FTBOA board member Mike Hall’s Breeze Easy LLC, Track Phantom galloped about a mile-and-three-eighths at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and schooled at the starting gate, which is normal for most Steve Asmussen trainees on Wednesday.
Track Phantom was scheduled to school in the paddock during racing Wednesday.
