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The Sports Daily

Andy Newton

Fierceness In Key Workout Ahead Of Met Mile Target

Fierceness Todd Pletcher Oklahoma Cody Wish Journalism (Person) Flightline

The potential 2025 Met Mile runners are starting to take shape with one of the big fancies Fierceness having a workout at the Oklahoma training track (Saratoga Springs, NY) this week – which was the third time the Todd Pletcher horse had been in work since winning the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs in early May.

Fierceness Worked Over Five Furlongs at Oklahoma Training Track As Met Mile Preparation Continues

Over the last three years the Met Mile, which is run on the same card as the Belmont Stakes on June 7, has been won by some big names.

Last year the Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure landed the $1m purse, while before him Cody’s Wish (2023) and the unbeaten Flightline (2022) have graced the Met Mile hall-of-fame.

The next big name trying to add his name to the list will be Fierceness, who has been prepping for the race with some recent workouts at the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga NY (watch below).

G1 Met Mile aspirant FIERCENESS worked to the outside of TUSCAN SKY this morning over the Oklahoma training track. NYRA clockers caught them in 49 and 4/5 seconds. pic.twitter.com/iVqqLwma4F

— Mary Eddy🏇🏼 (@singmysongbird) May 22, 2025

Fierceness, who was runner-up in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic to Sierra Leone, worked with regular partner Tuscan Sky and went an easy half-mile in 49.86 seconds.

With the City Of Light colt ending the breeze-up strongly before going around the turn to cover five furlongs in 1:02.67.

He was then eased off and ended up with a time of 1:15.49 over six furlongs and was the third piece of work last year’s Kentucky Derby favorite has done since winning at Churchill Downs on May 2 (watch below).

With his trainer Todd Pletcher saying afterward.

“The [Oklahoma training track] hasn’t been producing fast times but it was very safe and he was well in hand throughout.”

“I thought it was a good work with a very solid gallop-out. Very impressive. By getting the work in this morning, it gives us a little flexibility now. We can bring him back for one more either next Friday or Saturday.”

WATCH: Fierceness Winning The Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs

Preakness Stakes Winner Journalism Also Worked Out at The Oklahoma Training Track

Recent Preakness Stakes winner Journalism is also currently housed at Pletcher’s Oklahoma barn and returned to the track for a workout there too.

The winner of the second Triple Crown race had a jog over a mile on the sealed track just after 8am local time on Thursday (22 May), with regular work rider Mark Witkowski doing the steering.

Witkowski added “The track was wet but it was tight and in good shape. We just went an easy mile and I thought he felt exactly the same as he did the first few days after we arrived at Pimlico following the Derby, I have no complaints. Nothing has changed, which is a good thing.”

It’s not confirmed yet if Journalism will head to the Belmont Stakes on June 7 and a possible rematch with Derby winner Sovereignty – but it’s not been ruled out.

Trainer Todd Pletcher Has Won The Met Mile Twice Before

If Fierceness does take his chance in the 2025 Met Mile on Saturday June 7, he’ll also be looking to give trainer Todd Pletcher a third win in the Grade One race.

Pletcher first won the Met Mile in 2010 with Quality Road and doubled that tally in 2014 with Palace Malice. Jockey John Velazquez, who is the winning-most Met Mile rider (5 wins), was in the saddle for both the wins.

Trainer John M. Gaver Sr. tops the list as the winning-most Mwet Mile trainer with six wins. With these successes coming between 1940 and 1963.

While in more recent years the Steve Asmussen barn have dominated with three Met Mile wins since 2018.