Latest news with #Fierceness
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Horse Of The Year 2025: Sovereignty, Journalism, Or Fierceness?
With the first half of the 2025 racing season in the books, the race for Horse of the Year is heating up — and three standout contenders are emerging from the pack: Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) winner; Journalism, the Preakness (G1) hero and Derby and Belmont runner-up; and Fierceness, the 2-year-old Eclipse champion and winner of last year's Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers Stakes (G1). Each colt has built a strong résumé, and how they perform in the upcoming summer and fall races will ultimately determine who takes home the sport's most prestigious year-end honor. After winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) and skipping the Preakness Stakes (G1), Sovereignty silenced all doubters with a dominant performance in the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. His powerful late kick and ability to handle the 1 1/4-mile distance in that race left a lasting impression. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Sovereignty has the pedigree and the progression to keep climbing, and he'll likely target major summer and fall races like the Travers Stakes (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). A win in either — or both — could cement his status at the top. The key to Sovereignty's campaign will be consistency. He already has two classic wins and holds the edge over Journalism having beaten him twice, and if he adds another Grade 1 against older horses, the Horse of the Year trophy could be his to lose. His running style makes him dangerous in big fields with a hot pace — and with improving speed figures, he's trending upward at just the right time. If you're looking for a fighter, look no further than Journalism. The son of Curlin has danced every dance, finishing a gritty second in the Kentucky Derby before outdueling the field in the Preakness Stakes. Perhaps his most impressive race of the year was a loss to the aforementioned Sovereignty in the Belmont. Trained by Mike McCarthy, Journalism has shown tactical speed, resilience, and perhaps most importantly, durability — a trait that's often lacking in top 3-year-olds. Journalism's versatility means he could show up anywhere this summer: the Haskell Stakes (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), or even try older horses early in a race like the Whitney (G1) or Pacific Classic (G1). If he can stack another Grade 1 win on top of the Preakness and remain in the headlines through the fall, voters may reward his toughness and resume over raw brilliance. His case improves significantly if Sovereignty and Fierceness split their efforts or falter down the stretch. It might feel like Fierceness has faded from the conversation after his loss last out in the Met Mile (G1), but don't count him out yet. The 2023 2-Year-Old Champion stormed into 2024 with a huge Florida Derby (G1) win before flopping badly in the Kentucky Derby. Todd Pletcher gave him some time off after that disappointment, he came back a beast, rattling off wins in the Jim Dandy and Travers before a very good second in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). he could still be a major Horse of the Year threat. The Saratoga-based colt could be pointed towards races like the Whitney Stakes (G1) and the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), and it's not impossible to imagine him winning both of those races. As it stands now, Sovereignty probably holds the narrow lead due to his impressive Derby and Belmont wins. Journalism has consistency on his side but lacks the head-t0-head matchup record. Fierceness, meanwhile, represents the wildcard — the kind of horse who, with just one or two blowout wins, could rewrite the narrative late. Ultimately, the Horse of the Year title will come down to the second half of the season. The Travers, Pennsylvania Derby, and Breeders' Cup Classic loom large. All three contenders have the talent to win it all — now it's just a matter of who can rise above the rest when it counts the most.
New York Post
08-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
St. John's donor Mike Repole and Rick Pitino horses strike out at Belmont Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mike Repole walked downstairs from his first-row clubhouse VIP box at Saratoga and conferred with jockey John Velazquez on the edge of the winner's circle after Saturday's eighth race at Saratoga. The billionaire entrepreneur and St. John's basketball benefactor did not step inside. It was not his time. His horse, Fierceness, the winner of the 2024 Travers Stakes, the signature summer event at this historic track, finished second by 2 ¹/₂ lengths to California invader Raging Torrent in the $1 million Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. While the 8-1 Raging Torrent earned an automatic bid to this fall's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher were left to pick up the pieces. 'If you told me he'd finish ahead of White Abarrio and Just a Touch, I'd [believe I'd] be taking my picture in the winner's circle,' Repole told The Post. 'You know, it happens. We knew [Raging Torrent] was going to go for the lead. He got brave. I thought at the 3/8ths pole we had him, the quarter pole we had him. And then I saw him open up and, you know, I don't know. 'It was a tough, tough race and a tough, tough loss,' Repole said, 'and there's absolutely no excuse.' Raging Torrent's jockey, Frankie Dettori, praised his horse's will to win. 'At the quarter pole, I was in the lap of gods,' the 54-year-old Italian rider said. 'He showed great determination to get to the line. 3 Raging Torrent races past Fierceness to the finish line to win the Metropolitan Handicap on Belmon Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course on June 7, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST 'He puts his head down, even when [Fierceness] pressured me [and he fought really hard.' Fierceness, the sub-even-money favorite, got into trouble immediately breaking out of the Wilson chute, which sends horses directly into the middle of the first turn. 'Johnny [Velazquez] said he broke so sharply he kind of hit the gate and came back with some blood on his mouth from hitting the gate at the start,' Pletcher said. 'The first 16th of a mile was pretty rough. They were bouncing around trying to get position. After that he got into the exact position we wanted to, he just couldn't get by the horse in the lead.' 3 St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks with the media before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Repole said Fierceness likely will be targeted for the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 2 at Saratoga. In the 10th race, A.P. Kid, ridden by Velazquez and trained by Pletcher, ran past the leader at the top of the stretch and pulled away by five widening lengths. Repole and his contingent of 80 family and friends later watched long shot Uncaged finish out of the money in the Belmont Stakes. 3 Mike Repole watches his horse, Fierceness, finish second in the Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes day. Jason Szenes / New York Post Repole wasn't the only owner with St. John's connections to enter a horse on Belmont Stakes Day. Coach Rick Pitino's RAP Racing took a fourth place in the fifth race with Aggelos the Great. Pitino was not in attendance but told The Post in a text: 'We're disappointed. We all thought he was ready to win. But, you know, [it's] horse racing.' Pitino said he was told by jockey Manny Franco the horse did not like the muddy conditions.
NBC Sports
02-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fierceness holds on to win the Alysheba Stakes
Todd Pletcher's 4-year-old colt Fierceness holds off a challenge from Most Wanted to win the Alysheba Stakes with a track record at Churchill Downs.
