Fierceness

Oisin Murphy, the British Champion Jockey in 2019, 2020 and 2021, decided to spend part of his winter riding at Gulfstream Park. He didn't come just for the sunshine. Murphy felt that experiencing something different, riding on the dirt and competing against one of the best riding colonies in the world, would further his career. How has he done? Has the experience made him a better rider? Those were questions we asked Murphy when he joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast sponsored by Keeneland. Murphy was the Green Group...

Tom Brady's TB12 and Brady Brand--a line of fitness supplements and athletic apparel--will merge with Mike Repole's NOBULL footwear and apparel brand, creating one company operating under the NOBULL brand, according to new posted on the NOBULL website Tuesday morning. The company will offer footwear, apparel, and nutrition products, and Brady will become NOBULL's second-largest shareholder, according to CNBC. "TB12 and NOBULL Footwear & Apparel have merged to create one company dedicated to help you improve mentally, emotionally, and physically," according to the statement on the website. "Tom Brady is...

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), newly honored as 2023 champion 2-year-old, breezed at Palm Beach Downs Saturday morning in advance of next Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, he was timed in :49.55 (20/29) for a half-mile. "I was very pleased. He had a serious work last week--fifty-nine-and-change [for five furlongs]. We were just looking for a maintenance work today," Pletcher said. Fierceness is coming off a 6 1/4-length romp in the Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup...

Cody's Wish (Curlin) was crowned both 2023 Horse of the Year and Older Dirt Male champion at Thursday night's 53rd annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, and when Kelly Dorman, the father of the late Cody Dorman, accepted the evening's highest honor on behalf of owner/breeder Godolphin, the crowd at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida met his brief pause to shed a few bittersweet tears with a standing ovation that gave him time to collect his thoughts and let the gravity of the moment sink in. On the track, Cody's Wish...

It was an evening to remember for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin team, as the worldwide operation accumulated no fewer than five statuettes over the course of the evening at Thursday's 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Presented by FanDuel TV, John Deere, Keeneland and The Jockey Club, honoring and recognizing excellence in Thoroughbred racing. And they saved the best for last, as Cody's Wish (Curlin), whose story resonated with nearly every fan of Thoroughbred racing and beyond, was named Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male for...

Breeders' Cup-winning 2-year-olds Fierceness (City of Light) and Just F Y I (Justify) have been named Eclipse champion 2-year-old colt and filly, respectively. Repole Stable's homebred Fierceness was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 11 1/4-length debut victory at Saratoga Aug. 25. Following a dull effort in the GI Champagne S., the bay colt was let go at 16-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but he sealed the championship with an easy 6 1/4-length win. Fierceness became the second straight juvenile champion for Mike Repole, who accepted an...

The pari-mutuel field of "All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2021 Foal Crop" closed as the 2-1 favorite in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, while GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness (City of Light) was the 8-1 second choice. Other horses who attracted mild interest from bettors: GII Remsen S. runner-up Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) (13-1); GII Remsen S. winner and the full-brother to GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, Dornoch (Good Magic) (15-1); Breeders' Cup Juvenile third Locked (Gun Runner) (18-1); recent Gulfstream Park maiden winner...

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), who is expected to be named champion of his generation at Thursday's Eclipse Awards ceremonies, worked five furlongs in :59.48 Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs, the fastest of 12 moves at the distance. It was the sixth timed workout for Fierceness since taking the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 3. The homebred is expected to make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 3. "Fierceness has trained super. He's such a terrific workhorse. He...

The third pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will open Friday with 40 betting options led by individual favorite Fierceness (City of Light), who is 8-1 on the morning line, and "All Other 3-Year-Olds" from the 2021 foal crop not listed in the field as the 7-5 overall betting choice. The three-day pool closes Sunday at 6 p.m. There are six Future Wager pools scheduled in advance of the 2024 Kentucky Derby: Oct. 31-Nov.2 (Pool 1); Nov. 23-26 (Pool 2); Jan. 19-21 (Pool 3); Feb. 16-18 (Pool 4); Mar....

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), the favorite to be named champion 2-year-old male of 2023 following his dominant victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, remains on track to make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park. He posted his second work of the new year Saturday at Palm Beach Downs, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.17 (8/12). "He worked super this morning and everything is going according to plan, so far," Hall of Fame trainer Todd...

We're inside the 120-day mark for the 150th GI Kentucky Derby, and the pecking order is hazily taking shape. There's a speculative, forward-thinking element (read: lots of guesswork) built into the equation, with the goal of projecting how these still-developing horses will blossom over the next four months. Get tied on and enjoy the ride. 1) NYSOS (c, Nyquist--Zetta Z, by Bernardini) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Baoma Corp; B-Susie Atkins (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0,...

DEAUVILLE, France-- On Nov. 19 at Aqueduct, Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief--Wildwood Rose {Ire}) by Galileo {Ire}) made a spectacular debut, demolishing the competition by almost 10 lengths, becoming her sire's 42nd 'TDN Rising Star'. Nothing new there. But the Into Mischief cross with a Galileo mare got Mike Repole thinking. Repole, the American entrepreneur who looks set to earn his second straight Eclipse Award with a champion juvenile, this time with his homebred GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness (City of Light), has become more and more invested in the...