Repole Stable’s Kentucky-bred Fierceness recaptured his championship form in winning the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, March 30. A Kentucky-bred son of City of Light, Fierceness was last year’s Eclipse Champion 2-Year-Old Male.

After finishing third in the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in his seasonal bow in February, Fierceness bounced back in a big way in the Florida Derby. Ridden by John Velazquez, Fierceness took control of the race around the first turn. Never threatened, he recorded fractions of :24.06 and :47.50 for the first half-mile. Under confident handling, he drew away in the stretch and was geared down late, winning by a record 13 ½ lengths. He covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.22. The winning margin was the largest in the 73-year history of the Florida Derby, eclipsing Empire Maker’s previous record of 9 ¾ lengths in 2003.

“That was a pretty awesome performance,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “That’s what we see in the mornings when we breeze him, a special talent. That’s why it was so perplexing, his two races that he didn’t run brilliantly. He’s three times brilliant and two times has had off days.”

John Velazquez added, “It was pretty easy. This is what I expected last time out of him. He had been working lights out. He broke well today, and I just let him have it. I let them come and get him. He dominated the whole race. When he got to the backstretch and switched to the turn, he picked it up and so I let him do it. He was comfortable. Then at the quarter pole, I gave him a little smooch and he picked it up right away. This is why we’re here. This is what we work for, for opportunities like this. It’s exciting.”

A dominating winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Fierceness is now a winner in three of five career starts. He has banked more than $1.7 million. By City of Light, the Repole Stable homebred is produced from the Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella.

Kentucky Derby Bound

With the authoritative triumph, Fierceness earned 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

“From a talent perspective, he has it all,” Pletcher said. “Like everyone else in the Derby, you’ve got to hope you draw a good post, you get a good trip, and you like Churchill Downs—all those things.”