Catching Freedom rallied eight-wide on the ultimate flip and surged within the stretch to a last-to-first one-length victory within the $1 million Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby going 1 3/16-miles at Truthful Grounds on March 23.
“What a end,” mentioned Jason Loutsch, racing supervisor for Catching Freedom’s Albaugh Household possession group. “To race that broad and nonetheless end like that, wonderful. He needed to cowl a ton of floor.”
A rallying third within the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at 1 1/8 miles in his earlier begin for coach Brad Cox, Catching Freedom assured his connections of a spot within the subject for Could 4 Kentucky Derby offered by Woodford Reserve by choosing up 100 Derby qualifying factors. He now tops the leaderboard with 125 factors.
For the connections, the victory introduced again reminiscences of a 12 months earlier when Cox and the Albaugh household despatched out the run for the roses favourite, Angel of Empire, however needed to accept third.
“We’re so excited to get again to the Kentucky Derby with one other horse who ought to be a serious participant,” Loutsch mentioned. “I hope he comes again nicely and if he does, will probably be an thrilling six weeks.”
The victory was the third in 5 begins for Catching Freedom. Two begins again, he rallied from eighth in a subject of 9 to take the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park, however Saturday’s journey was way more adventurous. Catching Freedom and jockey Flavien Prat have been final on the backstretch within the subject of 11 behind a reasonable :48.33 half-mile tempo earlier than they launched their broad journey to the winner’s circle.
“I needed to cry on the bottom. It was terrible. He was lifeless final,” Cox mentioned. “It turned out to be a giant efficiency. He is bred for a mile and 1 / 4, and I believe he confirmed right this moment that he can do it.”
As anticipated, 2-1 favourite Monitor Phantom set the tempo within the Louisiana Derby, main by a couple of size by a gap quarter of :23.49 and 6 furlongs in 1:12.54 on the quick observe.
He was chased early by Widespread Protection, however the largest threats got here from the rear of the pack.
Whereas maiden winner Tuscan Gold pressured the chief from third on the flip, the drama was unfolding within the middle of the racetrack the place Catching Freedom and Honor Marie have been circling into rivalry on the far exterior from eleventh and ninth, respectively, after six furlongs.
Monitor Phantom, who was hustled to the lead from put up 12, nonetheless led on the eighth pole however was shortening stride as Catching Freedom and Honor Marie surged previous him with a sixteenth left and battled to the wire. Catching Freedom, the 3-1 second alternative on the tote board ($8.60), prevailed by a size in 1:56.16.
Honor Marie took second by three-quarters of a size over Tuscan Gold and punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby with 50 extra qualifying factors. Tuscan Gold picked up 25 factors. That was the primary batch of factors for the son of Medaglia d’Oro who was making his third profession begin.