Fierceness, Catalytic, Domestic Product Make First Appearances at Churchill

Repole Stable's Fierceness (City of Light) made his first appearance over the Churchill Downs main track on a sun-splashed Tuesday morning. Under regular exercise rider Danny Wright, Fierceness galloped a mile during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks runners. Wright has been the regular morning partner for the defending juvenile champion since last summer at Saratoga.

“He looked smooth and handled it well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of the morning's activity.

Winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Curlin Florida Derby, Fierceness is scheduled to work Friday morning, weather permitting.

Pletcher indicated Fierceness would make a couple of trips to the starting gate as well as a couple of paddock schooling sessions next week.

Also making his first appearance on track Tuesday morning was Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs' Catalytic (Catalina Cruiser), who jogged a mile under exercise rider Olaf Hernandez. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the Florida Derby runner up arrived at Churchill Downs Monday morning after vanning from South Florida. Catalytic is scheduled to work Sunday.

Also getting a first look at Churchill Downs, the Chad Brown-trained Klaravich Stables' Domestic Product (Practical Joke) galloped a mile and a half during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses. Partnered by Peter Roman, the GIII Tampa Derby winner, who was partnered by Peter Roma was accompanied by stablemate Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), winner of the GI Blue Grass S. and GII Risen Star S.

“The first day on the track was excellent. [Domestic Product] was moving well,” Brown said.

Sierra Leone had regular exercise rider Kriss Bon aboard. Sierra Leone is owned by the partnership of Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith.