RACING CAREER

Catching Freedom began his racing career at Churchill in early October, winning first time out going away at eight furlongs from off the pace. In his second start at Churchill, he started a bit too far off the lead and was not able to pick up the pieces late, finishing fourth. 

Trainer Brad Cox still put him on the Derby trail for his first race as a three-year-old in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, this time staying just close enough entering the stretch that he was able to win as the post time favorite. Through his first three races, this $575,000 colt went off as the favorite in every try, but ran into better competition in the Grade II Risen Star Stakes in mid February. Sierra Leone and Track Phantom finished narrowly ahead of a late closing Catching Freedom in that try on a sloppy Fair Grounds dirt course, but he continued to improve as he has in every start.

Catching Freedom picked up his signature win in the Louisiana Derby in his next start, stamping his trip to the Kentucky Derby with yet another increase in his speed figures. In the Derby, he once again started well off the pace, but with the early leaders all fading, jockey Flavian Prat was able to urge Catching Freedom up into fourth, slightly outmatched by the top three finishers. A bit better of a trip and Catching Freedom may have been more of a factor at the wire, now with a chance to have less ground to make up in a smaller nine horse Preakness field. With his continued upward trend, this is one that is in a great spot to upset the top choices at Pimlico, especially if he gets some pace to close into at this distance.

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BLOODLINES

Catching Freedom’s sire Constitution has already produced five runners who have amassed over one million in career earnings, including Catching Freedom. He has also been successful as a sire in Chile, where he has produced nine group one winners that have primarily raced in South America. His most notable offspring is Tiz the Law, the winner of the 2020 Belmont and Travers Stakes. C

Catching Freedom’s broodmare sire Pioneerof the Nile is most well known for siring Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and has been a productive sire. Dam Catch My Drift was a multiple graded stakes-placed winner of four races.

Of her six foals, two in Strava and Bishops Bay have broken the six figure earnings mark as the half brothers to Catching Freedom. It makes sense then that Catching Freedom sold for $575,000 as a yearling, already surpassing expectations with plenty more to come going forward.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Brad Cox spoke highly of Catching Freedom to Pimlico News, stating that he liked how he was doing and that he had been galloping well. “It’s not ideal to run back in two weeks at this level, but that’s the way the schedule is. This race provides an opportunity to be very competitive in a Grade 1. We don’t want to miss that opportunity as long as he’s doing well. The Preakness is a very prestigious race. It’s not only a Grade 1 but a classic.”

“We put a lot of focus on the Kentucky Derby, and that obviously does take away from Preakness a little bit. It’s just not as common to run these horses back in two weeks as maybe it used to be. It basically comes down to how the horse is doing, and we’re happy with the way he’s training. Based off who we hear is running, he stacks up with that group of horses – bottom line.” Catching Freedom does compare well from a speed figure standpoint with Muth and Mystik Dan, who have the top figures of this group, and should be right with them late in the correct pace scenario.