For many in the horse world, the first Saturday in May is considered a holiday. For those in horse racing, it can only mean one thing: Kentucky Derby Day. It’s the race that every person in the racing industry dreams of winning, and for horse people, it’s probably the race that everyday people in your life reach out to ask which horse is your pick. And if you don’t have a Derby horse yet, don’t worry—we’re taking a look at every horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby so you can have your pick by the time you’ve finished reading.
The 2025 Kentucky Derby Field
Let’s take a look at each horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, organized by post position and listed with their morning line odds. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, there are also notes about each horse’s sloppy track aptitude.
1. Citizen Bull (20-1)
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Martin Garcia
Race Record: 6 starts: 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third
Career Earnings: $1,451,000
Last year’s Champion Two-Year-Old Male after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Citizen Bull has not quite replicated his two-year-old form. Though he started the year with a romp in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), he finished fourth of five last out in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in a race won by morning line favorite Journalism. The rail position is not doing him any favors, either. He seems like a horse that wants the lead to himself, but such a position is not so easy to obtain in the Derby. When he’s at his best, he’s one of the most talented in the field, but he does not seem to have matured on the same level as others in this field.
Sloppy Track Potential: Citizen Bull has only raced on a fast track, but he is a son of leading sire Into Mischief, who has had many offspring succeed on a wet track.
2. Neoequos (30-1)
Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
Jockey: Luis Saez
Race Record: 7 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $291,050
Likely to go off at high odds on Saturday, Neoequos has twice been defeated by fellow contender Sovereignty. He’s a horse that appears to want a shorter distance, having been caught in both of his lifetime races over one mile. The 1 ¼-mile distance of the Derby does not seem to be one where he will thrive.
Sloppy Track Potential: Neoequos won his first start of the year on a sloppy track, so track conditions shouldn’t be an issue for him.
3. Final Gambit (30-1)
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luan Machado
Race Record: 4 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third
Career Earnings: $520,639
A last out winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), which is contested on a synthetic surface, Final Gambit has never made a start on traditional dirt. He’s also faced lesser company than most competitors here, and though he stepped it up in the Jeff Ruby, this is still a big jump in class for him.
Sloppy Track Potential: Having only run on synthetic and turf surfaces, dirt will be an entirely new racing experience for Final Gambit—let alone a sloppy track. However, his sire, Not This Time, achieved the biggest win of his career on a muddy track—at Churchill Downs no less.
4. Rodriguez: SCRATCHED
5. American Promise (30-1)
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Nik Juarez
Race Record: 9 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third
Career Earnings: $444,874
It took American Promise six tries to break his maiden and though he was a runaway winner of the black-type Virginia Derby last out, he was off the board in his two starts against graded stakes company. Long shots have thrived in recent runnings of the Kentucky Derby, but this one would be a surprise.
Sloppy Track Potential: American Promise broke his maiden on a muddy track, but earlier in his career, one of his worst-ever efforts came over a sloppy track.
6. Admire Daytona (30-1)
Trainer: Yukihiro Kato
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
Race Record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $672,047
One of two Japanese-based runners, Admire Daytona narrowly won the UAE Derby (G2) in his last start after leading throughout. He’s yet another that will be fighting for the lead, so he will need to be able to handle the pace pressure. Admire Daytona has proven to have some fight in him, though, and he’ll need to use that weapon in the Derby.
Sloppy Track Potential: Admire Daytona’s racing debut was contested on a muddy track, in which he finished fourth. It seems as though the slop will neither help nor harm his chances.
7. Luxor Cafe (15-1)
Trainer: Noriyuki Hori
Jockey: Joao Moreira
Race Record: 6 starts: 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $379,057
A son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Luxor Cafe is the strongest of the two Japanese contenders. Winner of his last four starts, including a runaway win in the Fukuryu Stakes, Luxor Cafe has posted some of the most impressive speed figures of this field. This is the toughest competition he’ll have faced, but he certainly has talent.
Sloppy Track Potential: In his second-ever start, Luxor Cafe was only a neck away from winning on a muddy track.
8. Journalism (3-1)
Trainer: Mike McCarthy
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Race Record: 5 starts: 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third
Career Earnings: $638,880
Meet Journalism, the morning line favorite for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. He has won four straight races, including the Santa Anita Derby (G1) last out, and has some of the best speed figures in the group. It’s tough to find a knock against him, though an obvious point is that he has been facing small fields—which certainly won’t be the case in the Derby. But on ability alone, Journalism is a formidable favorite.
Sloppy Track Potential: Journalism has only raced on a fast track, which could be a concern for the Derby favorite on a sloppy track. However, his sire Curlin won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on a very sloppy track in one of his best lifetime performances.
9. Burnham Square (12-1)
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Race Record: 6 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third
Career Earnings: $977,755
Burnham Square was the game winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) in his final Kentucky Derby prep, in which he overcame a poor trip. This bodes well for the traffic troubles most horses face in the Derby. From a speed figure perspective, he’ll need to step it up a bit, but he could be worth a look.
Sloppy Track Potential: Another horse that has only ever experienced fast tracks, Burnham Square’s pedigree does not provide much insight into how he may fare in the mud.
10. Grande: SCRATCHED
11. Flying Mohawk (30-1)
Trainer: Whit Beckman
Jockey: Joseph Ramos
Race Record: 6 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $295,800
Flying Mohawk was most recently second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks behind Final Gambit and, like that rival, Flying Mohawk has never raced on traditional dirt. He also has only faced company weaker than most of this field, and his speed figures don’t match up. This colt is likely to go off at very high odds.
Sloppy Track Potential: This will be Flying Mohawk’s first dirt start, let alone his first contest on a sloppy track. And with a primarily turf pedigree, it’s difficult to assume his wet track aptitude based on bloodlines.
12. East Avenue (20-1)
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Manuel Franco
Race Record: 5 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $654,395
As a two-year-old, East Avenue looked like a top prospect until a lackluster performance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He’s never quite returned to his original form, the closest being his narrow second-place finish last out in the Blue Grass Stakes. It would require a huge jump in effort from East Avenue to cross the wire first.
Sloppy Track Potential: East Avenue has only ever raced on fast tracks, but offspring of Medaglia d’Oro typically don’t mind the mud.
13. Publisher (30-1)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Race Record: 7 starts: 0 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds
Career Earnings: $407,756
Yes, it’s true—Publisher has never even won a race. Second behind Sandman in the Arkansas Derby (G1) last time, that was one of only two times the son of American Pharoah finished better than third. He’s training well, but this is a huge ask.
Sloppy Track Potential: Again, Publisher has never won a race, but he did finish a decent third on a sloppy track as a two-year-old.
14. Tiztastic (20-1)
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Race Record: 8 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $1,549,800
The more accomplished trainee of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Tiztastic is entering the Kentucky Derby off a win in the Louisiana Derby (G2). However, he has not been the most consistent horse, with his last win prior to that coming as far back as the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes last September. In the losses between those victories, he’s finished behind many rivals here, including Sovereignty, Sandman, and Coal Battle. He does seem to thrive with distance, though, and his off-the-pace running style may best fit the makeup of this field.
Sloppy Track Potential: Tiztastic has no sloppy track experience, and his pedigree provides little insight as to how he may like it.
15. Render Judgment (30-1)
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Race Record: 7 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1 third
Career Earnings: $250,672
Though trained by last year’s winning conditioner in Kenny McPeek, Render Judgment has not won a race since breaking his maiden in October 2024. That race did come over the Churchill Downs surface, but he has faltered against several rivals here and has never hit the board in graded stakes company. He will likely go into the starting gate with some of the highest odds in the field.
Sloppy Track Potential: Since Render Judgment is another horse that has only experienced fast tracks, if you want to look to his pedigree, offspring of his sire Blame generally don’t mind sloppy tracks.
16. Coal Battle (30-1)
Trainer: Lonnie Briley
Jockey: Juan Vargas
Race Record: 8 starts: 5 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third
Career Earnings: $1,188,875
If you love an underdog, Coal Battle will be easy to root for. His trainer, Lonnie Briley, is 72 years old and had never even run a horse in a graded stakes until Coal Battle won the Rebel Stakes (G2). Next out, Coal Battle was a distant third in the Arkansas Derby behind Sandman and Publisher. For the most part, he has not faced the level of competition he’ll be running against here, either. But if you’re looking for a good story, look no further.
Sloppy Track Potential: Coal Battle has two wins over wet tracks, so rain could be to his advantage.
17. Sandman (6-1)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Race Record: 8 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds
Career Earnings: $1,254,595
A last out winner of the Arkansas Derby, Sandman’s closing style may fit this pace-heavy race. Though it is worrisome that he has lost all three of his starts over the Churchill Downs oval, Sandman seems like he may be piecing things together.
Sloppy Track Potential: Sandman has only raced on fast tracks, so a sloppy track would be a toss-up for him. However, being by Tapit and out of a Distorted Humor mare won’t hurt him.
18. Sovereignty (5-1)
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Race Record: 5 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $572,800
Most recently second in the Florida Derby (G1), Sovereignty seems like a horse that may appreciate the added distance of the Kentucky Derby. He did romp in a graded stakes at Churchill as a two-year-old, so he clearly likes the surface. He does have the second lowest odds on the morning line despite not being overly accomplished, but he could be worth a play.
Sloppy Track Potential: Yet another horse that hasn’t faced a wet track, Sovereignty is, however, a son of Into Mischief—which should help his sloppy track chances.
19. Chunk of Gold (30-1)
Trainer: Ethan West
Jockey: Jareth Loveberry
Race Record: 4 starts: 1 win, 3 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $348,818
Although Chunk of Gold has never finished worse than second, he has also only won a maiden special weight. Though second in both the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Louisiana Derby, he was not a threat to the winner in either race. He’s certainly another underdog if that’s your angle.
Sloppy Track Potential: Like most, Chunk of Gold would be making his wet track debut. However, his full sister, Band of Gold, is a stakes winner over a sloppy track.
20. Owen Almighty (30-1)
Trainer: Brian Lynch
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Race Record: 7 starts: 3 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $499,935
Owen Almighty faded to sixth behind Burnham Square and East Avenue in the Blue Grass Stakes last out, which is not an encouraging entry into the Kentucky Derby. He does have success at Churchill Downs, but it would take a lifetime best effort to win here.
Sloppy Track Potential: Since Owen Almighty has never raced on a sloppy track, the only hints you can get are from his pedigree. Both of his parents were winners on muddy or sloppy tracks.
21. Baeza (12-1)
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Race Record: 4 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
Career Earnings: $148,500
Despite requiring a scratch to draw into the field (which the scratch of Rodriguez has allowed him to do), Baeza has lower morning line odds than most of the others. After all, he was a game second behind morning line favorite Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby. This a wide draw to overcome, but he is of course a half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch.
Sloppy Track Potential: Based in Southern California, Baeza has not faced a sloppy track before. But Belmont Stakes-winning brother Dornoch won the Remsen Stakes (G2) on a muddy track and stakes-placed sister Gunning won two races on muddy or sloppy surfaces.
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