Derby alumni: Catch up on runners from 2019 to 2024

The Derby Alumni tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the Kentucky Derby, both this year and in previous years, keeping up with what they have done since they ran for the roses.

2024 Kentucky Derby

Eight of the entrants from the 2024 Kentucky Derby are entered to race on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Five are slated to line up in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga, Derby winner Mystik Dan, likely Belmont favorite Sierra Leone, Resilience, Honor Marie and Dornoch.

Two others from the Kentucky Derby remain at Churchill Downs for their first start since the run for the roses. West Saratoga and Society Man cut back to 1 1/16 miles for the Matt Winn (G3), where they are among a field of 10.

Mugatu, who did not draw into the Kentucky Derby and finished eighth in the Preakness, drops in class. The Jeff Engler trainee is entered Friday in an allowance-optional claiming race at a mile at Churchill. The race is carded for turf, but he is entered for main track only.

2023 Kentucky Derby

Despite early trip trouble, Reincarnate set the pace in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) on May 27 at Santa Anita. The Bob Baffert trainee led through mid-stretch, though was run down by his stablemate Mr Fisk and settled for second in the end, 2 1/4 lengths beaten.

Two others from the 2023 Kentucky Derby recently returned in allowance company. Raise Cain ran in graded stakes in his other two starts this year, but stepped back for a third-level allowance sprint on Thursday. The Ben Colebrook charge tracked the pace and kept on well for third, just a neck behind second-place Call Me Fast but no match for blowout winner Extra Añejo.

King Russell contested a first-level allowance going 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs on May 24. The Ron Moquett trainee was sent off the 2.02-1 favorite in the race, which had been washed off the turf. He settled at the rear but was never able to make a menacing run into the relatively slow pace, and he ended up a well-beaten fourth behind Cyber Ninja.

2022 Kentucky Derby

Happy Jack became a graded-stakes winner on Saturday at Santa Anita when he battled on the pace and kept on going in the Triple Bend (G2). After an early duel with Tahoe Sunrise, the Doug O’Neill trainee cleared off in the lane and had more than enough left to hold off odds-on Dr. Venkman, crossing the wire 4 1/2 lengths clear.

Tawny Port, now well established as a long-distanced turf horse, constested the Man O’ War on May 11 at Aqueduct. The Christophe Clement trainee chased midfield, but lacked the kick that some of his other foes showed in the lane and finished fourth, beaten 9 1/4 lengths by Silver Knott.

Classic Causeway dropped to allowance company for a race at Churchill Downs May 27. Originally scheduled for turf, the race was instead run at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Classic Causeway, still trained by Kenny McPeek, chased a few lengths off the pace but flattened out in the lane, finishing fourth beaten 10 1/4 lengths by long shot Five Star General, who went gat to wire.

2021 Kentucky Derby

Hidden Stash dropped in class for a second-level allowance May 13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Settled near the rear of the field behind an honest pace, the Victoria Oliver trainee made a smart rally in the stretch and got up by a nose over favored Bourbon Day to clinch the victory.

Hidden Stash is slated to return to action Thursday at Churchill Downs for a third-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. He drew the fence in an overflow field, with 10 main-field entrants, two on the also-eligible list and two main-track-only horses.

2020 Kentucky Derby

It has been a busy time for the 2020 Kentucky Derby class, with three recent runners and another horse entered to race soon.

Enforceable continued running well at the stakes level in Perú. He returned May 11 for the Clásico La Copa (G2), going about 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Monterrico. He tracked well behind a pair dueling on the lead in the early stages and launched a three-wide bid around the far turn. Dueling on the lead into the lane, he kicked to the lead mid-stretch but was reeled in by El Virrey late and settled for second, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Major Fed made his first start since a $25,000 claiming victory at Churchill Downs in September. The Gregory Foley trainee tracked in range through the early stages of the 1 1/8-mile dirt race. Buthe flattened out in the lane and crossed the wire sixth of seven, 13 1/4 lengths behind winning favorite The Thunderer. He was claimed out of the race, though the veterinarian voided the claim.

South Bend, unraced since running fifth in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) in December 2022, returned to the track May 11 for an allowance-optional claimer at Woodbine at seven furlongs on the Tapeta. Well off the early pace in a field of only five, the Mark Casse trainee steadily closed ground down the lane. Though he crossed the wire fourth, he finished only a length behind the winner, graded-stakes winner Rondure.

Storm the Court, the juvenile champion of 2019, was most recently eighth in the Silks Run at Gulfstream in March, but will try to bounce back Friday in an allowance-optional claiming race at Laurel. Making his first start for trainer Lacey Gaudet, Storm the Court drew post no. 2 in a field of 10 for the turf sprint, where he is in under the second-level allowance condition.

2019 Kentucky Derby

Gray Magician, most recently in action at Turf Paradise in late winter, returned to the races at Mountaineer on May 21 for an allowance-level dirt mile. Tracking midfield early in the race, the Juan Silva trainee made a bid, challenging for the lead wiht a quarter of a mile remaining. Gray Magician was in range until midstretch, but flattened out to finish fifth, 4 1/2 lengths behind odds-on winner O’Conner Sunset.