Kentucky Derby 2024: Odds Favored Fierceness “Looks Off” to Fans After Galloping at Churchill Downs

On the way to winning the 2023 champion juvenile crown, the two-year-old Fierceness achieved the title of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park. Additionally, he achieved a record-winning margin of 13+1⁄2 lengths in the Grade I Florida Derby in 2024. But recent shots of the favorite horse, Fierceness, have raised responses about his preparation as anticipation for the Kentucky Derby in 2024 grows.

The gallop video was posted on X by the official Kentucky Derby account. Furthermore, the X-handle of “@Tinky47flat” shared thoughts sharing the video from “@KentuckyDerby” mentioning, “Not a particularly inspiring gallop…”. As the Derby draws near, fans are filled with expectations, regarding Fierceness’s performance. All the events leading up to the race are closely watched, showing how unpredictable the path to the Kentucky Derby is.

Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir shares his predictions for the Kentucky Derby 2024 at Churchill Downs on Saturday. One thing that surprised everyone: despite being the clear favorite, Weir is slipping away from Fierceness. The final Kentucky Derby odds favorite has lost the last 5X years in a row, and their losing streak goes far beyond that time frame. Over the 44 Kentucky Derby races since 1980, the favorite horse has only prevailed 10 times, or 22.7% of the total.

Furthermore, Fierceness has placed third and seventh in his four Graded Stakes events, winning two of them. Not only that, but as a 3-year-old in 2017 City of Lights was never even considered for a Triple Crown race and has never won a race longer than 1 1/8 miles. Lastly, with no starter having ever placed higher than sixth, his ownership group of Repole Stable is 0 for 8 at the Derby. Along the same way, Fierceness’s latest gallop at Churchill Downs makes many think if the clear favorite is ready for the big race.

Fans’ chime on the contender Fierceness

Social media sat to dissect Fierceness’s performance through video footage, which produced a variety of viewpoints. One user points out attention to detail, pointing out a small element that might have escaped others’ notice writing, “Looks off”. Some fans expressed their concerns, with one saying, “Either win or off the board,” underlining the impact of Fierceness’ effort. However, as a Breeders’ Cup winner, Fierceness joins sire City of Light. Fierceness is descended from Smarty Jones’s immediate male line. Moreover, the genesis of fierceness can be traced back to Dunbar Road and Emblem Road.

Drawing comparisons to prior encounters, a different supporter recalled a comparable circumstance involving a prior competitor, saying, “Oh boy… I remember a similar video of Forte last year at this time.” These kinds of parallels draw attention to how important pre-race acts are and how they affect viewers’ expectations. One fan summed up the feeling in one sentence by stating, “Couldn’t have picked a better time 🥺,” which sums up the combination of hope and trepidation among Derby fans. As the Derby gets closer, more people are watching Fierceness, and they are excited to see what more will happen before the big show.