Kentucky-bred Catching Freedom secured himself a berth in the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) with a last-to-first score in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G1) at Fair Grounds on March 23. Owned by Albaugh Family Stables, Catching Freedom earned 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. With the game win, he vaults to the top of the points standings with 125 total qualifying points.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Catching Freedom rated between horses at the back of the pack early. He picked up his stride around the far turn before swinging to the eight-path entering the lane. Rallying widest of all, he collared the leaders in deep stretch to post a one-length victory. He covered the 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.16.

A rallying third in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) in his previous outing for trainer Brad Cox, Catching Freedom is now a winner three-time winner. In addition to his debut victory in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight race last year,  the stretch-runner won the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park in his 2024 debut in January.

Bred by WinStar Farm, Catching Freedom was a $575,000 Keeneland September Sale graduate. The bay colt is by Constitution and is produced from the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Catch My Drift. Catching Freedom is a half-brother to Grade 3-placed Bishops Bay.

Also at Fair Grounds on Saturday, Cox sent out Kentucky Oaks (G1) hopeful Tarifa. She captured the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in a determined effort, earning 100 Oaks points. A Godolphin homebred, Tarifa is undefeated in three 2024 starts. She won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) in her previous outing. She is a daughter of Bernardini out of the unraced Awesome Again mare Kite Beach.