Fierceness was named the 5-2 morning line favourite for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and will look to make history in next Saturday's (May 4) milestone race as the first entrant to win in 45 attempts from the No. 17 post position.
The Todd Pletcher-trained colt enters the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown races on May 4 off a dominating 13 1/2-length win in last month's Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and has a third-place finish as a 3-year-old. Fierceness aims to give the Hall of Fame trainer his third Derby win and first since 2017 with Always Dreaming.
Brad Cox-trained filly Tarifa is the 7-2 morning line favourite for Friday's Kentucky Oaks after drawing the No. 8 post.
Sierra Leone, whose 155 points led the Derby qualifying trail, drew the No. 2 post as the 3-1 second choice for the US$5 million Grade I premier race for 3-year-olds. The son of Gun Runner and Heavenly Love by Malibu Moon has rallied from deep in the field to win both starts this year including a thrilling trip in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland three weeks ago, which followed a testy entry to the gate.
"He's just a touch farther in than I wanted but he didn't get the 1 hole, so I'm OK with that," said trainer Chad Brown, whose other Derby entry, Domestic Product, drew the No. 15 post at 30-1 odds.
Catching Freedom is the 8-1 third Derby choice from the No. 14 post and will aim to give Cox his first outright Derby victory after Mandaloun was elevated to 2021 Derby winner following the disqualification of deceased colt Medina Spirit for a failed postrace drug test. Cox's other entries, Just a Touch and Encino, drew the Nos. 8 and 9 posts respectively and were listed at 10-1 and 20-1 odds.
Japan-bred entries T O Password and Forever Young will start alongside each other from the Nos. 10 and 11 posts respectively with odds of 30-1 and 10-1.
The Kentucky Derby 150 field from the rail out, with odds: Dornoch (20-1), Sierra Leone (3-1), Mystik Dan (20-1), Catching Freedom (8-1), Catalytic (30-1), Just Steel (20-1), Honor Marie (20-1), Just a Touch (10-1), Encino (20-1), T O Password (30-1), Forever Young (10-1), Track Phantom (20-1), West Saratoga (50-1), Endlessly (30-1), Domestic Product (30-1), Grand Mo the First (50-1), Fierceness (5-2), Stronghold (20-1), Resilience (20-1), Society Man (50-1). Also eligible: Epic Ride (50-1), Mugatu (50-1).
