Since capturing his career debut 11 months ago, Fierceness has won every other start, and the Mike Repole homebred colt sought to rebound in Saturday’s $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) after finishing 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He gamely responded to the challenge, withstanding a late bid from 4-5 favorite Sierra Leone to score by a length, and Fierceness reinvigorated his championship three-year-old male prospects.
“Super pleased,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He kind of got the trip we were hoping for. We knew what our strategy was, the thing is you don’t know what everyone is else is going to do. It looked like there were a couple of other horses with potential speed, so we had to break, get to the first turn in good position and get in a good rhythm, and that is what we were able to do.”
Fierceness broke sharply and closely tracked pacesetter Pony Express through opening splits in :23.80 and :47.44 while traveling well off the rail with John Velazquez. After advancing to the lead on the far turn, he drove wide into the stretch with a widening advantage, continuing to drift out before being guided inside in deep stretch.
Sierra Leone trailed by about 10 lengths after the opening half-mile and after rallying wide into the stretch, he drove toward the rail for the stretch drive and tried to reel in Fierceness, but the winner had more in reserve.
“He was traveling well, he really came underneath me nice around the five-sixteenths pole,” Flavien Prat said of Sierra Leone. “When I dropped in, I thought I was going to be a winner – just couldn’t go by that horse.”
Fierceness regained some lost luster with the smart performance, and he completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.15 over a fast Saratoga track that did not produce fast times Saturday. By City of Light, Fierceness left the starting gate as the 9-5 second choice among six rivals.
“I just let him get into a good rhythm, he was going pretty easy,” Velazquez said of his trip. “I expected Sierra Leone to come out (in the stretch), so I went out. I just let him do it. I wanted to get him out there, and when I looked, the other horse came inside so I came back in a little bit just to make sure he saw him. I had horse left. He is incredible. This was just incredible.”
Dornoch, the division leader pro tem following wins in the Belmont (G1) and Haskell (G1), is targeting the Aug. 24 Travers (G1) at Saratoga. Pletcher didn’t rule out the 1 1/4-mile race but indicated Fierceness probably will skip a four-week turnaround in favor of more rest.
“This horse seems to do better with a little bit of extra time in between races, so we won’t make any decisions right away, but just play it by ear,” Pletcher said.
The Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx will be an option for his next appearance.
A 13-length romper in the Florida Derby (G1) two starts previously, Fierceness was named champion two-year-old made after an impressive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last fall. The Kentucky-bred sandwiched a disappointing third February’s Holy Bull (G3) between those wins, and Fierceness also dropped the Champagne (G1) at odds-on last year after an eye-catching debut win.
He’s now bankrolled more than $1.9 million from a 7-4-0-1 record. Fierceness is the first stakes winner out of the Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Outwork. This is also the female family of multiple Grade 2 winner and sire Cairo Prince.
Sierra Leone will come back for the Travers after holding second by nearly six lengths over Ohio Derby (G3) scorer Batten Down. Next came Preakness (G1) winner Seize the Grey, Gould’s Gold, and Pony Express.
