May 1, 2025
KENTUCKY — By Matthew Lomon
Run for the Roses
The marquee event on the North American racing calendar, the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1), is set to be contested this Saturday at iconic Churchill Downs.
Regarded as the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the storied 1 ¼-mile dash will showcase 20 of the sport’s top three-year-olds in its 151st running.
The talented group is led by three-time graded stakes winner, and reigning Santa Anita Derby (G1) champion Journalism, who opens as the 3-1 clubhouse leader.
Joining the early favorite on the list of contenders is Fountain of Youth (G2) victor Sovereignty (5-1), Arkansas Derby winner Sandman (G1), Wood Memorial champion (G2) Rodriguez, and Blue Grass (G1) hero Burnham Square.
Betting Nugget: The betting favorite has lost five straight Kentucky Derby’s. Only two have finished in the top three.
Fantastic Four
Alongside the headliner on Churchill Downs’ scintillating Saturday card are four Grade 1 tilts, starting in race eight with the track’s titular affair, the $1 million Churchill Downs (G1).
The seven-furlong dirt sprint features an exciting pool of 11 hopefuls, headlined by an evenly matched quartet atop the leaderboard.
Mindframe, the early favorite at 3-1, is trailed closely by Mullikin (7-2), Nysos (4-1), and Banishing (5-1).
The early choice has not missed the board through five starts, collecting three wins, including the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), and two seconds.
Mindframe’s contemporaries have also found success at the graded level: Mullikin (Grade 1 John A. Nerud, Grade 1 Forego), Nysos (Grade 3 Bob Hope and Robert B. Lewis), and Banishing (Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile).
Star power is by no means in short supply.
Seeing Triple
Immediately following the Churchill is the $1 million American Turf (G1T) for 3-year-olds.
A total of 14 contestants (four also eligibles) will take to the starting gate with their eyes on the 1 1/16-mile tilt’s top prize ($600,000).
Early indications are that oddsmakers are bullish on the trio of New Century (GB), who opens at 3-1, Zulu Kingdom (IRE) (4-1), and Iron Man Cal, who rounds out the top three at 9-2.
New Century (GB)has raced all over the world, making starts in the United Kingdom, at Woodbine, and Del Mar. The Brendan P. Walsh charge notched his most prestigious win to date at Woodbine in November’s Summer Stakes (G1).
His closest rival, Zulu Kingdom (IRE), is a two-time graded stakes winner (Grade 3 With Anticipation and Grade 2 Pilgrim) with four tallies across five career starts.
Iron Man Cal is 2-1-0 in four lifetime tries with a Zuma Beach (G3T) score under his belt.
You Again?
The good times keep on rolling in race 10, where Ways and Means (3-1) and Scylla (4-1) will go head-to-head in the $1 million Derby City Distaff (G1).
The seven-furlong Distaff will be Ways and Means’ first taste of action since a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
While not the finish she had hoped for, the Flavien Prat mount had previously rattled off three straight victories, including the Grade 1 Test and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom.
Scylla will also be making her 2025 debut in the Distaff after finishing one spot ahead of Ways and Means in the Filly & Mare Sprint. The Bill Mott charge is a two-time graded stakes winner (Grade 3 Shawnee and Grade 2 Fleur de Lis) with a 5-3-1 line across 10 starts.
The two will battle for bragging rights on Saturday afternoon.
Take Your Shot
After coming up short in last year’s Bourbon Turf Classic (G1), Integration gets a second shot at the $1 million contest this Saturday.
Lining up in post one for the 12-horse contest, Integration opens as the narrow 4-1 favorite ahead of 9-2 foe Spirit of St Louis.
The accomplished 5-year-old’s return to the Bourbon Classic comes on the heels of consecutive seconds in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1T) and Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1T) – his only starts of 2025.
The three-time graded stakes winner (Grade 3 Virginia Derby, Grade 2 Hill Prince and Red Smith) has never finished below fifth across a dozen lifetime starts.
Overall, the Claude McGaughey III trainee is 5-3-1 with more than $1.4 million banked.
