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KENTUCKY DERBY
Kentucky Derby

Fierceness trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2024 Kentucky Derby horse

Jason Frakes
Louisville Courier Journal

Fierceness is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2024 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September.

The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 27. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.

Fierceness will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 30. He currently ranks second on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 136.

Fierceness

Fierceness, trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole, is among the early favorites for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

Color: Bay

Bred in: Kentucky

Sire: City of Light

Dam: Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty

Price tag: Homebred

Owner: Repole Stable (Mike Repole). Repole is 0 for 7 in the Derby, his best finish coming with Mo Donegal (fifth) in 2022.

Trainer: Todd Pletcher. He has a record 64 starters in the Derby, winning with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017).

Jockey: John Velazquez. He’s 3 for 25 in the Derby, winning with Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017) and Authentic (2020).

Record: 3-0-1 in five starts

Career earnings: $1,703,850

Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 136 (No. 2)

Last race: Won Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 30 at Gulfstream by 13 ½ lengths over Catalytic

Running style: Near the front early

Notes: For the second straight year, Repole and Pletcher have a Florida Derby winner who could be the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Last year, Florida Derby winner Forte was scratched 10 hours before the Kentucky Derby because of a veterinarian’s concerns about a bruised right front foot. … Fierceness is looking to become just the third Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner to go on and win the Kentucky Derby, joining Street Sense (2006-07) and Nyquist (2015-16). … Nonna Bella, the dam of Fierceness and owned by Repole, was 2-0-1 in five career starts from 2017-18. Both of her wins came at Gulfstream Park.

What they’re saying: “That was a pretty awesome performance,” Pletcher said after the Florida Derby romp. “That’s what we see in the mornings when we breeze him, a special talent. That’s why it was so perplexing his two races that he didn't run brilliantly. He’s three times brilliant and two times has had off days.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

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