20 horses to watch as 2024 Kentucky Derby prep season begins to heat up
The road to the 2024 Kentucky Derby will kick into gear this weekend with the first major prep race in New Orleans.
Several low-point prep races already have taken place this year, but the first race in the Kentucky Derby Championship Series will be the $400,000, Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
The Risen Star is one of six races in the series that award the winner 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs. The eight major races in the series — starting March 23 with the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds — will award 100 points to the winner and 50 to the runner-up.
The championship series will run through mid-April, with the last major day of prep races coming April 6 with the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the Blue Grass at Keeneland and the Santa Anita Derby.
Keeneland also will host the final points race — the Lexington — on April 13, with 20 points going to the winner.
The list of top Kentucky Derby contenders will inevitably change, but here are 20 horses to watch over the next few weeks, listed alphabetically. Trainer Bob Baffert is suspended at Churchill Downs, meaning his top 3-year-olds —including the highly regarded Nysos and Muth — will not be eligible for the Kentucky Derby.
Catching Freedom
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables (Dennis Albaugh)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Sire: Constitution
Dam: Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof The Nile
Price tag: $575,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-0-0 in three starts
Career earnings: $237,350
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (No. 18)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 25-1 (co-No. 9 choice)
Last start: Won Smarty Jones on Jan. 1 at Oaklawn
Possible next start: Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: “We’re going to need to improve off the Smarty Jones,” Cox said of Saturday’s Risen Star. “Physically, he looks great. He’s had a good bit of time between races, he shipped back here and is moving well, so we’ll see if he’s up for it.” Cox and Albaugh Family Stables teamed last year with Angel of Empire, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby.
Conquest Warrior
Trainer: Shug McGaughey
Owner: Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam)
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Tea Time, by Pulpit
Price tag: $1 million at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-0-1 in two starts
Career earnings: $52,200
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 0
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 20-1 (co-No. 5 choice)
Last start: Won maiden special weight Jan. 13 at Gulfstream
Possible next start: Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream
Notable: Conquest Warrior has yet to appear in a stakes race but gained status with a rallying victory in January at Gulfstream, earning an 84 Beyer Speed Figure. McGaughey said Conquest Warrior may run in an allowance race instead of the Fountain of Youth.
Domestic Product
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich Stables (Seth Klarman)
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Sire: Practical Joke
Dam: Goods And Services, by Paynter
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-1-0 in four starts
Career earnings: $104,200
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (No. 19)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 60-1 (co-No. 22 choice)
Last start: Second behind Hades in Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream
Possible next start: Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 9
Notable: Broke his maiden Oct. 27 at Aqueduct and then finished seventh in the Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 2 before his 3-year-old debut in the Holy Bull. Brown said Domestic Product could race twice before the Kentucky Derby, with the Wood Memorial or Blue Grass possible after the Tampa Bay Derby.
Dornoch
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Owners: West Paces Racing (Larry Connolly), Raymond Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding (Vito Cucci), Two Eight Racing (Jayson Werth) and Pine Racing Stables (Mark Pine)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Sire: Good Magic
Dam: Puca, by Big Brown
Price tag: $325,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-2-0 in four starts
Career earnings: $257,400
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (No. 17)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 15-1 (co-No. 3 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 2 at Aqueduct
Possible next start: Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream
Notable: Dornoch is a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Co-owner Werth is a retired major league baseball player who was a member of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies team that won the World Series. He wore jersey No. 28, hence the name of his Two Eight Racing stable. Trainer Gargan is seeking his second trip to the Kentucky Derby after finishing 14th with Tax in 2019.
Fierceness
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Repole Stable (Mike Repole)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-0-1 in four starts
Career earnings: $1,127,250
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 36 (No. 1)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 12-1 (No. 2 choice)
Last start: Third in Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream
Possible next start: Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 30 at Gulfstream
Notable: Fierceness was the 2-year-old champion after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Santa Anita. He won that race after a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Champagne, so Pletcher is hopeful for a similar rebound in Fierceness’ next race.
Forever Young
Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
Owner: Susumu Fujita
Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
Sire: Real Steel
Dam: Forever Darling, by Congrats
Price tag: $720,603 at 2022 Japan Racing Horse Association Select Yearling and Foal Sale
Bred in: Japan
Career record: 3-0-0 in three starts
Career earnings: $569,451
Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 20 (No. 1)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 30-1 (co-No. 11 choice)
Last start: Won Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun on Dec. 13 at Kawasaki
Possible next start: Group 3 Saudi Derby on Feb. 24 at Abdulaziz
Notable: Trainer Yahagi plans to use the Saudi Derby as a tune-up for the Group 2 UAE Derby on March 30 at Meydan. That’s the same path followed by Derma Sotogake, the Japan-bred that finished sixth in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Forever Young was one of 37 horses bred in Japan that were nominated for the Triple Crown.
Hades
Trainer: Joe Orseno
Owners: D.J. Stable (Leonard Green), Robert Cotran
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Sire: Awesome Slew
Dam: The Shady Lady, by Quality Road
Price tag: $130,000 at 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training
Bred in: Florida
Career record: 3-0-0 in three starts
Career earnings: $225,000
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 20 (No. 4)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 30-1 (co-No. 11 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream
Possible next start: Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 30 at Gulfstream
Notable: Hades won his first two starts at Gulfstream before surprising the Holy Bull field at 9-1 odds. Orseno said Hades was “really stud-ish,” as a 2-year-old, which led to the decision to geld the horse. “He’s a son of Awesome Slew,” Orseno said. “Nobody was thinking ‘stallion’ at that point. Nobody was thinking anything. We bought a racehorse, and we’ve got to get him to the races.”
Hall of Fame
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owners: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi LLC, Brook Smith
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Flag Day, by Giant’s Causeway
Price tag: $1.4 million at 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-1-0 in two starts
Career earnings: $60,000
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 0
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 20-1 (co-No. 5 choice)
Last start: Won maiden special weight Jan. 20 at Fair Grounds
Possible next start: Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: Hall of Fame broke his maiden in January with a 10 ¼-length score. Asmussen addressed the speedy time for Hall of Fame — 1:44.27 for 1 1/16 miles. “He was ridden much more aggressively because he’s playing a little catch-up on a horse like Track Phantom, but the ability is there,” said Asmussen, who also trains Track Phantom.
Honor Marie
Trainer: Whit Beckman
Owners: Ribble Farms (Alan Ribble), Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, Daniel Fishbein
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
Sire: Honor Code
Dam: Dame Marie, by Smart Strike
Price tag: $40,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-1-0 in three starts
Career earnings: $318,175
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 10 (No. 14)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 25-1 (co-No. 9 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs
Possible next start: Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: Beckman is a Louisville native who worked as an assistant for Todd Pletcher, Eoin Harty and Chad Brown before going out on his own in 2021. All three of Honor Marie’s career starts have come at Churchill Downs. “To me, he’s a very talented, quality horse, and we’ll see if he made the jump from 2 to 3,” Beckman said. “Early on he was always just kind of aloof, lights weren’t really on, but now we’re really starting to see him wake up, and I know he knows what he’s doing out there. He’s put on a lot of weight, a lot of muscle. He’s been doing what he needs to do.”
Liberal Arts
Trainer: Robert Medina
Owners: Evan Ferraro, Stephen Ferraro
Jockey: Cristian Torres
Sire: Arrogate
Dam: Ismene, by Tribal Rule
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-1-3 in six starts
Career earnings: $294,825
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 19 (No. 8)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 60-1 (co-No. 22 choice)
Last start: Third in Grade 3 Southwest on Feb. 3 at Oaklawn
Possible next start: Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 30 at Oaklawn
Notable: Broke his maiden at Ellis Park on Aug. 13 and won the Grade 3 Street Sense on Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs. Liberal Arts is from the final crop of Arrogate, the former champion who died in 2020.
Locked
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owners: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman), Walmac Farm (Gary Broad)
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon
Price tag: $425,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-0-2 in four starts
Career earnings: $608,400
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 19 (No. 7)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 10-1 (No. 1 choice)
Last start: Third in Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic on No. 3 at Santa Anita
Possible next start: TBA
Notable: Locked missed a scheduled workout last week with a fever, forcing him to skip the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. Pletcher has not announced a new plan for Locked’s 3-year-old debut. Locked went off as the 2-1 favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but finished third behind Fierceness and Muth.
Mystik Dan
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Owners: Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing (Brent Gasaway), Daniel Hamby
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Sire: Goldencents
Dam: Ma’am, by Colonel John
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-1-0 in five starts
Career earnings: $510,110
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 21 (No. 3)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 20-1 (co-No. 5 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 3 Southwest on Feb. 3 at Oaklawn
Possible next start: Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 30 at Oaklawn
Notable: “We’ve got plenty of time, and he’s a fit horse,” McPeek said of waiting until the Arkansas Derby for Mystik Dan’s next race. “And if we go into the Arkansas Derby, they’re going to have run their tail off to beat us.” Mystik Dan already owns a victory at Churchill Downs, breaking his maiden there Nov. 12 with a 7 ¾-length score.
Nash
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owner: Godolphin (Mohammed al Maktoum, et al)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
Dam: Sara Louise, by Malibu Moon
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-2-1 in four starts
Career earnings: $137,500
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 13 (No. 13)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 30-1 (co-No. 11 choice)
Last start: Second behind Track Phantom in Grade 3 Lecomte on Jan. 20 at Fair Grounds
Possible next start: Allowance race Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: Nash showed promise with a 10 1/4-length maiden win at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12 but is 0 for 2 since then. Cox told the Daily Racing Form he hasn’t given up on Nash reaching the Kentucky Derby. “He always trains well, and he has Derby points,” Cox said. “(Saturday’s allowance race) is an opportunity to get some confidence back, get back in a Derby prep next time.”
No More Time
Trainer: Jose D’Angelo
Owner: Morplay Racing
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Baroness Juliette, by Speightstown
Price tag: $40,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Iowa
Career record: 2-1-0 in four starts
Career earnings: $156,780
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 20 (No. 6)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 40-1 (co-No. 17 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 3 Sam. F. Davis on Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs
Possible next start: Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 9
Notable: D’Angelo originally planned to run No More Time in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream but decided to give him one more week of training and went to the Sam F. Davis instead. “I had plenty of horse the whole way, and when I asked him he gave me everything,” jockey Lopez said after the victory.
Sierra Leone
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owners: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Brook Smith, Peter Brant
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon
Price tag: $2.3 million at 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-1-0 in two starts
Career earnings: $96,750
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 5 (No. 30)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 15-1 (co-No. 3 choice)
Last start: Second behind Dornoch in Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 2 at Aqueduct
Possible next start: Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: Of the 346 horses nominated to the Triple Crown, Sierra Leone is the highest-priced at $2.3 million. Brown finished second in the Derby with Good Magic in 2018 and third with Zandon in 2022.
Snead
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owner: Imagine Racing (Marne Fauber), Margaret Fauber
Jockey: Jareth Loveberry
Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Raffle Ticket, by A.P. Indy
Price tag: $325,000 at 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-1-1 in five starts
Career earnings: $133,800
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 5 (No. 32)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: Not included
Last start: Second behind Track Phantom in Gun Runner on Dec. 23 at Fair Grounds
Possible next start: Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 23 at Fair Grounds
Notable: Snead may be a long shot to make the Kentucky Derby at this point but still is among the top choices with Las Vegas bookmakers, checking in at 28-1 at Caesars Sportsbook. The Daily Racing Form reported Monday that Snead has been galloping at Turfway Park after a minor injury and that Walsh hasn’t ruled out a return to the Louisiana Derby.
Speak Easy
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owners: Siena Farm (Todd Manganaro), WinStar Farm (Kenny Trout)
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Sire: Constitution
Dam: Fun, by Harlan’s Holiday
Price tag: Homebred
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 1-0-0 in one start
Career earnings: $42,000
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 0
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 30-1 (co-No. 11 choice)
Last start: Won maiden special weight Jan. 27 at Gulfstream
Possible next start: TBA
Notable: Speak Easy earned a whopping 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his debut victory, posting a time of 1:21.96 for seven furlongs. Remains to be seen if this horse truly is on the Kentucky Derby trail, but all eyes will be on his next start.
Timberlake
Trainer: Brad Cox
Owners: Siena Farm (Todd Manganaro), WinStar Farm (Kenny Trout)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Pin Up, by Lookin At Lucky
Price tag: $350,000 at 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 2-1-0 in five starts
Career earnings: $475,600
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 16 (No. 10)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 30-1 (co-No. 11 choice)
Last start: Fourth in Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita
Possible next start: Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 24 at Oaklawn
Notable: Timberlake won the Grade 1 Champagne in October before his fourth-place finish in the Juvenile. He has been training well for the Rebel, including a bullet breeze Saturday at Fair Grounds (five furlongs in 59.40 seconds).
Track Phantom
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owners: L&N Racing (Lee Levinson), Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, Breeze Easy (Mike Hall)
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Sire: Quality Road
Dam: Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief
Price tag: $500,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Bred in: Kentucky
Career record: 3-1-1 in five starts
Career earnings: $285,000
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 30 (No. 2)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 20-1 (co-No. 5 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 3 Lecomte on Jan. 20 at Fair Grounds
Possible next start: Grade 2 Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds
Notable: “I think the Lecomte was as easy on him as you could have wanted it to be, with him still getting something out of it,” Asmussen said. Co-owner Brewster is a lawyer for Hall of Fame trainer Baffert, who is suspended from Churchill Downs through 2024.
Uncle Heavy
Trainer: Butch Reid Jr.
Owner: Michael Milam
Jockey: Mychel Sanchez
Sire: Social Inclusion
Dam: Expect Wonderful, by Tiz Wonderful
Price tag: Private sale
Bred in: Pennsylvania
Career record: 3-0-0 in four starts
Career earnings: $293,580
Road to the Kentucky Derby points (ranking): 20 (No. 5)
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 odds: 40-1 (co-No. 17 choice)
Last start: Won Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 3 at Aqueduct
Possible next start: Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 6 at Aqueduct
Notable: “It was a visually impressive race, and I like the way he was striding out the last 50 yards there,” Reid said after the Withers. “That was the key impression to me. I don’t think there’s any question he can keep going further.” Only two Pennsylvania-breds have won the Kentucky Derby: Lil E. Tee in 1992 and Smarty Jones in 2004.
More Kentucky Derby: Post-position draw for 2024 Kentucky Derby to be held week before race at Churchill Downs
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @KentuckyDerby_CJ
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby 150: 20 horses to watch as prep season heats up
