Where Are They Now? February 2011's Top 20 TCT Horses

With the Kentucky Derby only 69 days away, prep races are starting to heat up for this year’s three-year-olds. But a year ago, we were watching another crop of sophomores attempt to light up the tote board. So what happened to those horses after the Triple Crown Trail? Let’s take a look at the top-20 Triple Crown horses—according to Blood Horse on Feb. 23, 2011—and see where they are now.

No. 1: Dialed In

Dialed In finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby after winning the G1 Florida Derby in April. Dialed In was sidetracked in June with a knee surgery and hasn't been seen in the gate since last year’s Preakness where he finished fourth.

The horse has been working steadily at Palm Meadows since Jan. 2, firing off five bullets in six works. His most recent work came on Feb. 23, over five furlongs in 1:00.30. It’s not clear when or where he will make his four-year-old debut.

No. 2: Uncle Mo

Uncle Mo had horrible luck as a three-year-old, drawing a post position in the Derby before having to be scratched due to an internal ailment. He wasn't seen on the track until returning for the G1 King’s Bishop Stakes in late August of last year. He went on to win the G2 Kelso Handicap before finishing 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

He was retired to Ashford Stud after the Breeders’ Cup with a record of 8-5-1-1 for earnings of $1,606,000 and is covering his first mares this year.

No. 3: To Honor and Serve

Bill Mott trainee To Honor and Serve was sidelined after finishing third in the G1 Florida Derby (he also finished third in Feb. 26’s G2 Fountain of Youth) with a strained suspensory ligament.

After missing the Triple Crown, the Bernardini son returned last August to race in the G2 Amsterdam Stakes where he finished sixth. However, the refresher seemed to be exactly what he needed as he won his next two races, including the G2 Pennsylvania Derby. To Honor and Serve finished seventh in the Breeder’s Cup Classic before coming back three weeks later to win the G1 Cigar Mile.

To Honor and Serve hasn’t raced since November or had a workout in the last 60 days, but as his retirement hasn’t been announced, it's fairly safe to say he will be back this year.

No. 4: Soldat

Soldat won the G2 Fountain of Youth before finishing fifth in the Florida Derby. The horse was last seen finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby. While the horse had other races on his radar after the Derby, he took the rest of the year off.

The son of War Front has been working at Palm Meadows, registering nine workouts in the last 60 days with two bullets.

No. 5: Jaycito

Jaycito fell off the Derby trail after the G2 San Felipe Stakes in early March, when an abscess made him skip the Santa Anita Derby.

The bay Victory Gallop colt only made one more start in 2011, finishing fifth in an optional claimer. However, the Baffert trainee is back on track after finishing second in the G2 Strub Stakes behind Ultimate Eagle on Feb. 4.

No. 6: Brethren

Brethren never made it to the Kentucky Derby after an 11th place finish in the G1 Arkansas Derby on April 16. The horse was sent to Winstar Farm for some farm-based training, but didn't make it back to the track as a three-year-old.

This year, Brethren has put in five works at Palm Meadows, last working out over five furlongs in 1:01.48 on Feb. 26.

No. 7: Mucho Macho Man

The big gangly Mucho Macho Man finished third in the G2 Louisiana Derby before racing in the Triple Crown series, where he finished third in the Derby and sixth and seventh respectively in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The colt was given time off to grow into himself and returned to win an optional claimer in November.

On Jan. 28, the colt made his four-year-old debut, winning the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes. The colt has had two works since the win and is being pointed towards the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 10.

No. 8: Stay Thirsty

Stay Thirsty showed himself to be a strong horse in the second half of the season after finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby. The horse skipped the Preakness Stakes and came back to finish second in the Belmont before winning the Jim Dandy/Travers double. He finished third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup before finishing immediately behind stablemate Uncle Mo in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Stay Thirsty has been getting a break in Florida and looks to race mostly in New York this year, possibly debuting in the Westchester in April.

No. 9: Rogue Romance

After finishing third in the G2 Risen Star, it looked like Rogue Romance would be in the Derby as he had the earnings to get in. But on March 19, it was announced that the horse had a fractured foot and required two to three months of stall rest.

The horse missed the rest of the year, but has been on the workout tab since January 28 at Gulfstream where he is looking to be progressively getting better. His last work was on Feb. 25, going 1:01.00 over five furlongs to rank fourth out of 22 horses.

No. 10: Santiva

Santiva ran sixth in the Kentucky Derby after a ninth in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes. He then skipped the middle leg of the Triple Crown to run eighth in the Belmont Stakes. The horse had a six-month layoff after the Triple Crown and reappeared on the turf in Florida in an allowance where he finished second by a neck.

The horse stayed on the track in January, racing on the grass again in the G3 Fort Lauderdale where he finished ninth on Jan. 14. The horse registered two works after the race, but hasn’t been worked since Feb. 5.

No. 11: Machen

Machen decided to skip the Kentucky Derby, winning the G3 Derby Trial the week before the Run for the Roses. The horse won the mile race by a neck, but fell off the radar after the win and has not been seen in the gate since.

The horse hasn’t worked in the last 60 days.

No. 12: The Factor

The Factor shipped to Churchill Downs after a seventh-place finish in the G1 Arkansas Derby in April but didn’t run in any of the Triple Crown races. The horse took a break from the track, not running until the August 28th G1 Pat O’Brien Stakes where he proved himself to be a formidable horse at the shorter distances, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. The horse was off the board in his next two races, including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, but rebounded in December with a win in the G1 Malibu Stakes.

The War Front son made his four-year-old debut on Feb. 25, winning the G2 San Carlos Stakes by half a length over Sway Away. Bob Baffert gave a few options for the horse after the win, including Dubai, but there haven't been any real decisions made yet.

No. 13: Sweet Ducky

After some issues with his owner, Sweet Ducky shipped to Meydan Racecourse to run in the U.A.E. Derby after finishing second in the Holy Bull. The horse didn’t return to the track until Oct. 30 last year, when he resurfaced to finish seventh in an allowance at Woodbine.

The horse has already run twice this year at Meydan, finishing seventh and 13th.

No. 14: Cal Nation

After finishing eighth in the G2 Jerome Stakes, Cal Nation skipped the Triple Crown series to run in an allowance a week after the Preakness. The horse finally got a stakes placing, running third in the G2 Carry Back Stakes and second in the Select Stakes. The horse’s last start was in the G3 Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes in late September when he finished sixth.

The horse has had four works at Palm Meadows since the beginning of the year, ranking second of 32 on Feb. 19 and going 1:00.90 over five furlongs.

No. 15: Toby’s Corner

Toby’s Corner beat Uncle Mo in the G1 Wood Memorial when he put himself on the Kentucky Derby map. But a few days before the Kentucky Derby, the colt was found to be off in his left rear and sent to New Bolton Center. There was never anything definite announced as to what was wrong with the horse, but he missed the rest of the year.

Toby’s Corner returned to racing on Feb. 20 at Laurel Park in the G2 General George Handicap where he finished third. According to a Forbes’ interview with Graham Motion, Toby’s Corner may ship to the Fair Grounds for a try at the New Orleans Handicap.

No. 16: Archarcharch

Fan favorite Archarcharch won the G1 Arkansas Derby on April 16 to firmly secure himself in the Kentucky Derby. However, the Arch colt finished 15th in the Derby and was pulled up after the wire. It was later found out that he had an injury that retired him and sent him to the breeding shed.

He retired with a record of 7-3-1-1 for earnings of $832,744.

No. 17: Anthony’s Cross

Anthony’s Cross picked up a stakes win in the G2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes after a third in the Sham Stakes to make a strong case for hitting the Derby trail head on.

However, after a fifth-place finish in the G1 Santa Anita Derby, the horse disappeared from the starting gates. Before the Derby, it was announced by trainer Eion Harty that the horse was officially out of the Kentucky Derby. Harty told Bloodhorse that there were many other options for the colt, but he didn’t hit the track for the rest of the year.

The Indian Charlie son started the year by working at the Fair Grounds but moved to Hollywood Park where he has been working steadily every week.

No. 18: Sway Away

Sway Away was a workman-type horse on the Derby trail last year, not winning any of the preps but finishing second in two G2 races before finishing sixth in the G2 Rebel and fourth in the G1 Arkansas Derby. The horse missed the Kentucky Derby because of earnings and finished 12th in the Preakness. He came back in mid-June to win an allowance before taking the rest of the year off.

The Afleet Alex son returned on Feb. 25 in the San Carlos Stakes to finish second to The Factor.

No. 19: Silver Medallion

Silver Medallion won the G3 El Camino Real Derby in his first start as a three-year-old before finishing fourth in two other Kentucky Derby preps (the G1 Santa Anita Derby and G3 Lexington Stakes).

After the Lexington, Silver Medallion enjoyed a six-month break before coming back on the grass. The horse finished second in an early October allowance and made his first three-year-old turf stakes start Breeders’ Cup week in the G3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes, where he finished third.

Silver Medallion ended his season on a high note, winning the G3 Tropical Turf Handicap in December and returned a month later on Jan. 14 to win the G3 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes. His last race was Feb. 11 in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap where he finished last in a field of seven.

No. 20: Gourmet Dinner

The 2010 G3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes winner disappeared after a second in the G2 Fountain of Youth. The horse suffered a shin injury on the Triple Crown trail that left him off the track for almost a full year.

The horse returned to the track on Feb. 9, 2012 to finish fourth in an optional claimer going 6.5 furlongs under a new trainer.