King Fury Returns to Action in Ohio Derby

The June 26 $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) for 3-year-olds at Thistledown marks the return of Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury  to the races in the aftermath of his Triple Crown setback.

A $950,000 yearling at the 2019 Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., King Fury backed up his lofty price tag with a first-time out score at Churchill Downs last September followed by a victory in the Street Sense Overnight Stakes in his third start. In his sophomore debut, the flashy chestnut earned himself a spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) field when he splashed home a decisive winner of the April 10 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.

King Fury had been training encouragingly up to the Derby, drawing post 16, before spiking a 104 degree fever the day before the race. Trainer Kenny McPeek announced the disappointing news in a video via Twitter—King Fury was officially scratched from the field. The colt's connections briefly considered a potential start in the May 15 Preakness Stakes (G1) but the son of Curlin   was ultimately declared out of contention when his fever flared up again May 4. With an elevated white blood cell count and "significant cough," according to McPeek, King Fury was left on the sidelines of the Triple Crown series. However, the colt began to show signs of improvement and returned to the work tab May 22 with a :47.60 half-mile over the Churchill main track.

King Fury, who clocked a sharp five-eighths in :58.60 in Louisville June 12, will break from post 4 on Saturday with Cory Lanerie in the irons.

Awaiting King Fury is Todd Pletcher's ever-improving Promise Keeper . Owned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing, the Constitution   colt romped in a 1 1/8-mile Keeneland allowance optional claimer April 8 before earning a black-type triumph in the May 8 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park over stablemate Overtook . While Overtook competed in the June 5 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), finishing seventh, the connections of Promise Keeper decided to bypass the final jewel of the Triple Crown in favor of the Ohio Derby.

The chestnut will be piloted by regular rider Luis Saez and start from the 1 post.

Other notable contenders in the field of 11 include grade 2 winner Keepmeinmind , who will be looking to rebound off a fourth-place effort in the Preakness for trainer Robertino Diodoro, and Flanagan Racing's The Reds , a game runner-up in an off the turf edition of the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3) May 29 at Belmont Park.

Rebel Stakes (G2) place-getter Hozier , narrowly beaten last time out in the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, will be making his first start since being transferred to trainer Rodolphe Brisset from the barn of Bob Baffert.

An intriguing contender stepping up to stakes company for the Ohio Derby is FTGGG Racing's Masqueparade . The Al Stall Jr. trainee demolished an allowance optional claiming field at Churchill by 11 3/4 lengths May 1.

Falcons Fury , Ethical Judgement , Hello Hot Rod , Proxy , and Channel Fury  complete the line up.

Entries: Ohio Derby (G3)

Thistledown, Saturday, June 26, 2021, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 3 yo
• 5:04 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Promise Keeper (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Todd A. Pletcher	7/2
2	2Falcons Fury (KY)	Edgar Paucar	126	Timothy L. Maxey	30/1
3	3Hozier (KY)	Chris Landeros	126	Rodolphe Brisset	12/1
4	4King Fury (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	126	Kenneth G. McPeek	9/2
5	5Ethical Judgement (KY)	Martin Garcia	126	Brendan P. Walsh	8/1
6	6Hello Hot Rod (MD)	Francisco Arrieta	126	Caio Caramori	15/1
7	7The Reds (KY)	Dylan Davis	126	John C. Kimmel	6/1
8	8Keepmeinmind (KY)	David Cohen	126	Robertino Diodoro	4/1
9	9Proxy (KY)	Joe Bravo	126	Michael Stidham	5/1
10	10Masqueparade (KY)	Miguel Mena	126	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	8/1
11	11Channel Fury (KY)	Luis Raul Rivera	126	James R. Jackson	20/1