LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fierceness is the 5-2 favorite on the morning line for the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, winning in 45 tries from the 17th post in next Saturday’s milestone race. He will likely try to leave his mark on history as the first horse to compete in this race. position.
Trainer Todd Pletcher’s colt enters the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown race on May 4 after winning last month’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park by a length of 13¹/₂. and finished in 3rd place. He is 3 years old.
Fierceness will be looking to give the Hall of Fame trainer his third Derby victory and first since Always Dreaming in 2017.
Todd Pletcher’s barn after training at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK
Also, the Brad Cox-trained mare Tarifa tied for post No. 8 in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks and is a 7-2 favorite on the morning line.
Sierra Leone, who led Derby qualifying with 155 points, was the second choice for the $5 million Grade I premier race for 3-year-old horses and took the No. 2 post with a 3-1 record.
The Heavenly Love progeny of Gun Runner and Malibu Moon has come together from deep ground this year to start both after a tough gate entry, including a thrilling trip in the G1 Bluegrass at Keeneland three weeks ago. won the victory.
Catching Freedom is 8-1 from the No. 14 slot and becomes the third Derby horse, with Mandalon promoted to 2021 Derby winner after his deceased stallion Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test. He will now aim to give Cox his first outright Derby victory.
Tarifa will start Friday’s Oaks as the No. 8 favorite with 7 wins and 2 losses.
She won all three starts this season to lead the Oaks Trail with 150 points, winning four of her five career starts and earning $456,000 in prize money.
The dark brown filly will aim to give the Louisville native Cox her third Oaks win since Shedares Devil in 2020.
For reference, the horse trained by Hall of Famer and four-time Eclipse winner Bill Mott was the No. 2 pick in Friday’s $1.5 million Oaks with a record of 9 wins and 2 losses, starting in the No. 13 spot. It’s scheduled to start.
Pletcher-trained filly Leslie Rose, 4-1, is the third contender from the distant No. 14 post and will be looking to follow up her G1 Ashland win on April 5 at Keeneland. .
For the first time, the drawing was held on the opening night of the Spring Meeting at Churchill Downs, one week before the milestone race and two days earlier than in recent years.
Derby post time is 6:57 PM ET.
Friday Oaks is scheduled to be posted at 5:51 p.m.
