Fierceness winning the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday, Aug. 24.

Repole Stable homebred Fierceness, who began his early training at Ocala Stud, parlayed that education to a determined win in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday, Aug. 24. It marked the third Grade 1 victory for Fierceness, who also won the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita and this year’s Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The reigning Eclipse Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, Fierceness bravely held at bay a relentless challenge from Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Thorpedo Anna to win the 1 ¼-mile Travers by a head after stalking the pace in the early going. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fierceness became just the 13^th horse in history to sweep the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the Travers. By City of Light, Fierceness is produced from the winning Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella.

“That was incredible,” Pletcher said. “He sat patiently, made a big move, and held off a tremendous filly.”

Now a winner in five of eight lifetime starts, Fierceness has amassed earnings of more than $2.6 million. In addition to winning the Jim Dandy and the Travers, Fierceness romped by 13 ½ lengths in the Florida Derby (G1) and won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) by 6 ¼ lengths en route to being honored as the top juvenile in the country at season’s end. In addition to training Fierceness, Ocala Stud trained the 2022 Eclipse Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Forte, who was also owned by Repole Stable and trained by Pletcher.