Correll’s Top Ten: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Champ Fierceness tops early List

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

TRINITY, Fla. – It’s about three months to that “big race” for 3-year-olds on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, so let’s see who’s in this year’s crop.

Although I don’t think the Kentucky Derby is the be all and end all to determine the best 3-year-old, a lot of these colts are headed that way.

Once again Churchill Downs Inc., is playing games, whether in the name of horse racing integrity or just spite, it is keeping one trainer’s colts from running again this year. I will list Bob Baffert’s horses if I think they are the top ones in the country.

Fierceness (sire: City of Light) won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is looking to make his 2024 debut in the Holy Bull on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park. He is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Locked (Gun Runner) was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is another Pletcher trainee that has been working regularly at Palm Beach Downs in Florida. He earned a 100 Beyer in the Juvenile.

Track Phantom (Quality Road) won the Lecomte on Jan. 20 at Fairgrounds in New Orleans. He received a 93 Beyer for the effort and is trained by Steve Asmussen. He is listed as a probable for the Risen Star on Feb. 17 at Faigrounds.

Catching Freedom (Constitution) won the Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 1 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. He is trained by Brad Cox and got 97 Beyer. He also is listed for the Risen Star.

Muth (Good Magic) was second in the Juvenile and won the San Vicente on Jan. 7 at Santa Anita in Southern California. He is trained by Baffert..

Dornach (Good Magic) won the Remsen on Jan. 2 at Aqueduct, but I have never been a big fan of winter racing in New York. He did get a 99 Beyer for the effort and I think trainer Danny Gargan in taking the colt south so that may solve the winter problem.

Timberlake (Into Mischief) was fourth in the Juvenile and he has had two breezes at Fairground since the first of the year. Cox is the trainer.

Nash (Medaglia d’Oro) was second in the Lecomte but he didn’t threaten the winner. He is a Cox trainee.

Liberal Arts (Arrogate) won the Street Sense in October at Churchill. Trainer Robert Medina has worked him three times this year in Louisville.

Speak Easy (Constitution) broke his maiden at first asking on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream. He earned a 92 Beyer and he is a WinStar homebred.