Tom Pedulla of America's Best Racing presents five key takeaways from the Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs.
TWO FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Trainer Ken McPeek accomplished a feat that had been done only three times previously in 149 years by sweeping the 2024 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1). With Churchill Downs celebrating the 150th running of both races, it is notable that the last trainer to complete an Oaks-Derby double did so more than 70 years ago when Ben Jones won the Kentucky Oaks with Real Delight and the Derby with Hill Gail in 1952. McPeek secured the sweep when Thorpedo Anna won the Kentucky Oaks by 4 3/4 lengths and Mystik Dan held on to win the Kentucky Derby by a nose in front of a crowd of 156,710. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. became the eighth jockey to score an Oaks-Derby double and the first since Calvin Borel did so aboard Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird in 2009.
COSTLY MISTAKE: Sierra Leone, who missed winning the Kentucky Derby by less than the official nose as part of a three-horse photo with victorious Mystik Dan and Japan's Forever Young, gave jockey Tyler Gaffalione all he had physically. From a mental standpoint, it appears the $2.3 million yearling is still lacking. "I felt like I had plenty of horse," Gaffalione said. "He wanted to lean in (in the stretch) and made it a little difficult. I had a hard time keeping him straight and that definitely cost us. He gives you everything, very responsive, but he loses concentration." The son of Gun Runner , sent off as the second choice in the wagering after Fierceness, suffered only his second loss in six starts.
FALLING SHORT: Iowa-based Albaugh Family Stables thought it might finally have the right horse when Catching Freedom, winner of the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby (G2), became its eighth Derby starter since 2016. The son of Constitution looked to be in perfect striking position for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Flavien Prat. "I was traveling well and had a chance to cut every corner and save all the ground," Prat noted. Catching Freedom took fourth for Albaugh, which settled for third last year with Angel of Empire. "Overall I was very happy with Catching Freedom's effort, I really was and the ride Flavien gave him," Cox said.
AWFUL TRIP: With a 20-horse field and the desperation jockeys feel to reach the first turn in a good spot, the Derby can be over for some horses almost before it starts. That was the case with Honor Marie, the well-regarded Louisiana Derby runner-up. "My race was over coming out of the gate," jockey Ben Curtis said. "I got speared from both sides. I lost an iron and had to put it back in. He was nearly down on his head, but I gave him time to pick himself up. He didn't get the smoothest first quarter of a mile and I just let him float around a bit after that." Under the circumstances, the son of Honor Code did well to finish eighth.
CHAMP IS BACK: Idiomatic, 2023 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner and champion older dirt female, looks to be sitting on a huge 5-year-old season. She kicked off her campaign with an impressive 3 3/4-length victory in the $1 million La Troienne Stakes (G1) May 3 for Cox and jockey Florent Geroux. The outcome was never in serious doubt. She completed the mile and a sixteenth on a sloppy track in 1:43.24 for her sixth consecutive victory. She improved her overall record to 10 wins, one second, and two thirds through 13 starts while her earnings ballooned to $3,076,840. "You could tell she was looking around a little bit. She gets a little distracted sometimes," said Geroux. "But she looks like she's back to her old self." It will be interesting to see whether Cox tests the Juddmonte homebred against males at some point this season in a bid for Horse of the Year honors. The lack of such a matchup kept her from receiving serious consideration for that honor last year.
