Fierceness 'Behaved Himself Very Well' In Florida Derby Schooling Session

Repole Stable’s Fierceness, the 2023 2-year-old male champion who finished third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3), schooled in the paddock and walking ring Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a return in Saturday’s $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa.

“Perfect. He came over and shipped in nicely and behaved himself very well,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We’re happy with everything he’s done, so hopefully everything continues to go smoothly.”

Things didn’t go so smoothly in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, in which he experienced bumping between horses shortly after the start and was forced to race wide throughout the 1 1/16 miles. The son of City of Light was coming off a dazzling 6 ¼-length win in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.

Fierceness has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Curlin Florida Derby, in which he will make a bid to give Pletcher his record-extending eighth victory in Gulfstream’s showcase for 3-year-olds from Post 10. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the return mount aboard Fierceness.

Iris’s Dream, who was entered in the Curlin Florida Derby after graduating by 7 ¼ lengths on turf at Gulfstream Feb. 29, schooled in the walking ring during the running of Race 3. The Florida-bred son of Jess’s Dream drew the far outside Post 11 for his stakes debut.