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Champion Fierceness Breezes ‘Really Well’ Friday Morning
3/1/2024
Pletcher Star Likely to Return in G1 Florida Derby March 30
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Repole Stable’s Fierceness breezed a half-mile Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for a likely start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park.
Fierceness, the 2023 Eclipse Award 2-year-old champion who finished a disappointing third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, worked a half-mile in 48.89 seconds in company with Agate Road, who most recently finished second in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
“Fierceness and Agate Road breezed a half together and both did really well, especially Fierceness. [He had] a strong gallop-out, looked good. He’s continued to train really good since the Holy Bull,” Pletcher said.
Fierceness was squeezed and bumped between horses shortly after the break in the Holy Bull and raced four-wide on the first turn while chasing front-running Hades. The 1-5 favorite entered contention on the backstretch and approaching the far turn and briefly took the lead. Forced to race wide on the turn into the homestretch, Fierceness faltered to finish third, 3 ½ lengths behind victorious Hades.
“I thought he trained great leading up to the Holy Bull. I don’t think he needed a race. I think our expectations were so high for him that maybe we’re not looking at it realistically. If you watch the start of the race, he got slammed pretty hard from both sides. Johnny [Velazquez], in order to execute the game plan, had to use him pretty hard to get to the first turn in the position we wanted to,” Pletcher said. “He could have been a little rusty off the layoff, even though he was training great. He was topweight. [There are] a lot of subtle excuses that for an ordinary horse, you would try to justify it. In his case, he trained to well and we expected so much of him, sometimes you think he can overcome everything.”
Fierceness was coming off a 6 ¼-length victory in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. The homebred son of 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) winner City of Light scored an 11 ¼-length debut victory over a pair of next-out winners on a muddy Saratoga track Aug. 25 before finishing off the board following a troubled start in the Oct. 7 Champagne on a sloppy Aqueduct surface.
St. Elias Stable’s Born Noble and Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Tuscan Sky also breezed a half-mile in company Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs, finishing on even terms in 49.83.
Born Noble debuted impressively in a seven-furlong maiden race Dec. 30 at Gulfstream Park, attending the early pace before drawing clear by 5 ½ lengths. The son of Constitution made a valiant bid for victory in a mile optional claiming allowance Feb. 3, setting a pressured pace before falling just a neck short of holding off Real Macho, who is entered in Saturday’s $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream.
“Born Noble ran so well. We had such high hopes for him that we were a little disappointed. They were pretty fast internal fractions. He just got a little tired at the end,” Pletcher said. “He’s training good. We’re looking forward to getting him in a Derby prep, but we haven’t decided yet which one.”
Tuscan Sky is undefeated in two starts, winning his Jan. 13 debut at Aqueduct and capturing and capturing a Feb. 17 optional claiming allowance at Fair Grounds.
“Tuscan Sky breezed in company with Born Noble. He looked good. We haven’t decided which prep race he’s going into next,” Pletcher said. “We feel like he’s an improving colt. He’s been perfect so far. We’re looking for a Derby prep. We’re just not sure which one.”