Catching Freedom goes last to first in Louisiana Derby

Mar 23, 2024 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

A moderate pace couldn't stop Catching Freedom from making a last-to-first rally to win the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, who teamed up to win the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) with Tarifa one race earlier, Catching Freedom outfinished fellow closer Honor Marie to take the 1 3/16-mile event by one length.

'I didn't know what to make of it early on, being so far back and with not much pace, but Flavien did a great job of letting him inch up,' said Cox, who trains the son of Constitution for the Albaugh Family Stable. 'He needed pretty much the entire stretch to get there, and I am very proud of the effort.'

Tuscan Gold finished third in what served as his stakes debut, while 2-1 favorite Track Phantom, who had won the Gun Runner S. and Lecomte (G3) and run second in the Risen Star (G2) earlier in the meet, finished fourth after setting the pace.

The order of finish was rounded out by Common Defense, Antiquarian, Agate Road, Next Level, Awesome Ruta, Hall of Fame, and Real Men Violin.

Common Defense is progressing in the right direction just in time for the Road to @KentuckyDerby 150 after breaking his maiden @OaklawnRacing on Saturday.

Add the @KennyMcPeek trainee to your TwinSpires Stable Alerts with the link below ⤵️ https://t.co/gUbkRIbs7C pic.twitter.com/uXIhsRdzcb

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 16, 2024

Catching Freedom paid $8.60 as the second choice after finishing up in a time of 1:56.16.

The Louisiana Derby was the third win in five starts for Catching Freedom, who captured the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn prior to finishing a closing third in the Risen Star behind Blue Grass (G1)-bound Sierra Leone, the current Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite.

Catching Freedom earned 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, boosting his total to 125. Honor Marie earned 50 points and now has 65, while Tuscan Gold earned his first 25. Track Phantom increased his total from 55 to 70, and Common Defense went from 27 to 37.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm and sold for $575,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Catching Freedom was produced by the Grade 1-stakes winner Catch My Drift, a daughter of Pioneerof the Nile.