A Stronger Fierceness On Track for Holy Bull

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A Stronger Fierceness On Track for Holy Bull
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Fierceness after his victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park

The Todd Pletcher barn had a busy morning Jan. 13 with 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) hero Fierceness  and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) hopefuls Dynamic One  and Grand Aspen  turning in works at Palm Beach Downs.

Repole Stable's Fierceness, the likely champion 2-year-old after his scintillating 6 1/4-length victory in the Juvenile, remains on target for his sophomore debut in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

"He worked super this morning," Pletcher said. "We still have a long way to go but so far everything is going according to plan."

The 3-year-old son of City of Light   worked five furlongs in 1:01.17 in company with 2023 Breeders' Futurity (G1) victor Locked , recording his fifth timed breeze since receiving a brief respite following the Nov. 3 Juvenile.

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Pletcher has mapped out a different schedule for Fierceness than he did for 2022 champion 2-year-old male Forte  , who made the first start of his 3-year-old campaign in the 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).

"Last year Forte needed a little time off after the Breeders' Cup but in Fierceness' case he only had three races (as opposed to Forte's five starts as a juvenile) so he was fresh and doing well so we didn't have to let him down totally (after the Breeders' Cup)," Pletcher said. "We're just getting him ticking now for the Holy Bull. We like the spacing of that race to the Florida Derby and then the Florida Derby five weeks to Kentucky."

The Hall of Fame trainer has been pleased by Fierceness' development as a newly turned 3-year-old thus far.

"Physically he's done well. He's put on some weight," Pletcher said. "He's gotten a bit stronger as you would hope. He's such a laid-back horse so in his daily gallops he doesn't show you a whole lot but when you breeze him like we did this morning he just looks awesome."

Locked also was recording his fifth breeze since the Juvenile, where he was third behind his stablemate. Campaigned in partnership by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, the Gun Runner   colt scored a game victory in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last October after breaking his maiden at Saratoga Race Course. Finishing slightly behind Fierceness in their work, he was credited with a final time of 1:01.27 for the five furlongs.

Pegasus World Cup contenders Dynamic One, recently added to the invitation list for the $3 million race Jan. 27, and Grand Aspen each worked Saturday morning. Dynamic One, winner of the 2022 Suburban Stakes (G2), clocked five furlongs in a bullet :59.31 while Grand Aspen, runner-up in the Dec. 30 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3), breezed a half-mile in :48.40.

Pletcher's Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) entrants each surfaced on the Saturday work tab, with Jerry the Nipper  (Turf) and Grand Sonata  (Turf) drilling four furlongs in a bullet :47.49. The pair finished 3-4 last time out in the Dec. 30 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park.

Graded stakes winner Cairo Consort , listed as a reserve invitee for the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, breezed a half-mile in :49.37 in her third work back since a fourth-place effort in the Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 23.

"I thought overall it was a good morning," Pletcher said. "We had some good works. Everybody seems to have done what we hoped and right now we're on schedule."