The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the most recent Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2023 Kentucky Derby
Mandarin Hero returned to the races Sunday in the Derby Grand Prix, going about 1 1/4 miles over a muddy track at Morioka. He made a bid on early pacesetter Mick Fire, but that one kicked away in the lane, leaving Mandarin Hero to chase home for second. He has now been runner-up in all three starts since the Kentucky Derby.
Skinner, scratched from the main field of the Kentucky Derby, was the only other entant in action in the last week. He settled at the rear of a nine-horse field in the Awesome Again (G1) on Saturday. He made a rally into the lane but never threatened for the win and finished fifth, 5 1/4 lengths behind Slow Down Andy.
Though Kentucky Derby winner Mage has not raced since finishing seventh in the Travers at Saratoga, he recently returned to the work tab for the first time since that defeat. He drilled five furlongs at The Thoroughbred Center on Sunday morning, covering the distance in 1:03.40.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mage | 7th Travers (G1) | Worked 5f Mon. at TTC |
| 2 | Two Phil's | 1st Ohio Derby (G3) | Standing at WinStar for 2024 |
| 3 | Angel of Empire | 3rd Jim Dandy (G2) | Off for the rest of 2023 |
| 4 | Disarm | 2nd Travers (G1) | No works since last race |
| 5 | Hit Show | 6th Oklahoma Derby (G3) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Derma Sotogake (JPN) | 6th Kentucky Derby | Pointing for Breeders' Cup Classic |
| 7 | Tapit Trice | 3rd Travers (G1) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Raise Cain | 4th Oklahoma Derby | No works since last race |
| 9 | Rocket Can | 9th Kentucky Derby | Worked 4f July 4 at SAR |
| 10 | Confidence Game | 10th Kentucky Derby | Worked 5f Sat. at CD |
| 11 | Sun Thunder | 11th Kentucky Derby | Worked 3f Sept. 16 at SAR |
| 12 | Mandarin Hero (JPN) | 2nd Derby Grand Prix | No works since last race |
| 13 | Reincarnate | 6th Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | No works since last race |
| 14 | Kingsbarns | 2nd Pegasus | Worked 4f July 7 at SAR |
| 15 | King Russell | 7th Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 16 | Verifying | 2nd H. Allen Jerkens (G1) | Worked 4f Sat. at CD |
| 17 | Jace's Road | 17th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 18 | Cyclone Mischief | 18th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| SCR | Continuar | 3rd UAE Derby (G2) | Worked 4f April 26 at CD |
| SCR | Forte | 4th Travers (G1) | No works since last race |
| SCR | Lord Miles | 2nd Robert Hilton Memorial | No works since last race |
| SCR | Practical Move | 1st Santa Anita Derby (G1) | Worked 5f Sat. at SA |
| SCR | Skinner | 5th Awesome Again (G1) | No works since last race |
2023 Preakness Stakes
Preakness winner National Treasure tried older foes for the first time Saturday in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita. He tracked in range of pacesetter Slow Down Andy and made a brief bid around the far turn, but flattened to be fourth, 4 3/4 lengths behind the wire-to-wire winner.
After an eighth-place run in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 3, Red Route One bounced back into better form in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) on September 24 at Remington. He finished second beaten only a nose, just missing to stablemate How Did He Do That.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Treasure | 4th Awesome Again (G1) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Blazing Sevens | 3rd Curlin | No works since last race |
| 3 | Mage | 7th Travers (G1) | Worked 5f Mon. at TTC |
| 4 | Red Route One | 2nd Oklahoma Derby | No works since last race |
| 5 | Chase the Chaos | 8th Canadian Derby (G3) | No works since last race |
| 6 | Perform | 5th Curlin | No works since last race |
| 7 | Coffeewithchris | 8th, Robert Hilton Memorial | No works since last race |
| SCR | First Mission | 1st Lexington (G3) | Worked 5f Mon. at CD |
2023 Belmont Stakes
Il Miracolo has bounced back well after finishing seventh in the Belmont Stakes. After running second in the Curlin and first in the Smarty Jones (G3) during the summer, he splashed home third in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Though he was beaten 6 1/2 lengths, no match for Saudi Crown and Dreamlike, he still outfinished Magic Tap to secure the show.
Forte has not returned to the work tab since finishing fourth in the Travers because of a quarter crack. But trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping to have him ready for the Breeders' Cup.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcangelo | 1st Travers (G1) | Worked 5f Sept. 22 at SAR |
| 2 | Forte | 4th Travers (G1) | No works since last race |
| 3 | Tapit Trice | 3rd Travers (G1) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Angel of Empire | 3rd Jim Dandy (G2) | Off for the rest of 2023 |
| 4 | Hit Show | 6th Oklahoma Derby (G3) | No works since last race |
| 6 | National Treasure | 4th Awesome Again (G1) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Il Miracolo | 3rd Pennsylvania Derby (G1) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Red Route One | 2nd Oklahoma Derby | No works since last race |
| 9 | Tapit Shoes | DNF Alw (Aug. 13, SAR) | No works since last race |
