Ferocious ahead of his runner-up performance in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing and OGMA Investments’ Ferocious twice Grade 1-placed as a 2-year-old, continues to work forwardly at Gulfstream Park for his highly anticipated sophomore debut.
Ferocious worked four furlongs in 48.15 seconds Thursday over Gulfstream’s main track, fifth-fastest of 27 horses. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano was up for the breeze, the Flatter colt’s second since running fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
“The horse is doing good,” assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. “He started about four [or] five weeks ago galloping and getting ready to roll again. He looks good. Everybody was happy with him.”
Purchased for $1.3 million as a 2-year-old in training last March, Ferocious was a popular 7 ¾-length winner of his unveiling Aug. 3 at Saratoga, where he returned to finish second behind Eclipse Award finalist Chancer McPatrick in the Hopeful (G1).
Prior to his run in the Breeders’ Cup, Ferocious was second as the favorite after being fractious at the gate and encountering some early trouble in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) Oct. 5 at Keeneland to East Avenue, who was ninth in the Juvenile.
Ferocious’ season opener has yet to be decided, but the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 1 is a possibility. The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is the next step on Gulfstream’s road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 29.
“We’re not really sure if we’re going to make the race on February 1st. It will all depend on a breeze that is scheduled for next Thursday. If we are happy with what we see we will decide then, but we are not in a rush with him,” Delgado Jr. said.
“We are of the opinion that we need maybe two or three weeks more, but he did so good today that he might make it. It will all depend on how he breezes back,” he added. “He did pretty nice today.”
Unlike Thursday, Ferocious will have a workmate for next week’s scheduled breeze.
“Today he was going solo. We want to see him in company next week and we’ll take it from there,” Delgado Jr. said. “He’s a nice horse. You can recognize him on the track. His stride and he way he goes, few horses do that.”
