‘TDN Rising Star’ Fierceness Drills for Florida Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Repole Stable's Fierceness (City of Light), who was named a 'TDN Rising Star' after he broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga last August, breezed five furlongs Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 30 at Gulfstream Park, the track said in a release late Friday afternoon.

The 2023 Eclipse Award 2-year-old champion, who finished third in the Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S., breezed in company with Spendthrift Farm's Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso).

The Todd Pletcher-trained duo was timed in 1:01.3 with Fierceness galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.82 and seven furlongs in 1:28.19 with a lot of energy.

“He went really, really well, as he always does,” said Pletcher. “He's a very impressive horse to watch breeze. He finished strong and galloped out great.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was aboard Fierceness, who breezed outside Tuscan Sky and Luis Saez.

“The horse gives you a lot of confidence watching him breeze,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “It seems like he's in really good form, so we're expecting a good performance from him.”

Repole's own currently sits in sixth place with 36 points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

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