Report: Pletcher is targeting Belmont Stakes with Fierceness

Fierceness, the 2023 champion 2-year-old and beaten Kentucky Derby favorite, has already settled in at Saratoga and is being pointed by trainer Todd Pletcher to make his next start in the Belmont Stakes on June 8.

The plan was reported Friday by Bill Finley of Thoroughbred Daily News. Pletcher told Finley via text that Fierceness “has settled in well and we are pointing to the Belmont.” He offered the fact that he was close to the fast pace and wide on both turns as possible excuses for the poor performance in the Derby.

Pletcher has won the Belmont Stakes four times. Three of those four winners came out of off-the-board finishes in the run for the roses. Palace Malice won in 2013 after finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby, Tapwrit was sixth in 2017 and Mo Donegal was fifth in 2022.

Fierceness finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby on May 4 as the 3-1 favorite after contesting the early pace.

The Belmont Stakes is being held at
Saratoga this year while Belmont Park is under construction. It will be
run at the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles instead of the
traditional 1 1/2 miles.