Final Gambit trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
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Trainer Brad Cox talks about Kentucky Derby 151 contender Final Gambit
Trainer Brad Cox talks about Kentucky Derby 151 contender Final Gambit after a Monday morning workout April 21 at Churchill Downs.
Final Gambit will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 22
Final Gambit is trained by Louisville native Brad Cox
Final Gambit is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September.
The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.
Final Gambit will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 22 at Turfway Park. He currently ranks seventh on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 100.
Color: Gray/roan.
Bred in: Kentucky.
Sire: Not This Time.
Dam: Pachinko, by Tapit.
Price tag: Homebred.
Owner: Juddmonte (Fahad bin Khalid). Juddmonte is 1 for 6 in the Derby, winning with Mandaloun (via disqualification) in 2021.
Trainer: Brad Cox. He's 1 for 11 in the Derby, winning with Mandaloun (via disqualification) in 2021.
Jockey: Luan Machado. First Derby.
Record: 2-1-1 in four starts.
Career earnings: $520,639.
Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 100 (No. 7).
Last race: Won Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 22 at Turfway Park by 3 ½ lengths over Flying Mohawk.
Running style: Closer.
Notes: Final Gambit started his career on the turf last November at Churchill Downs, finishing third, before heading to the Tapeta surface at Turfway Park. He broke his maiden in his third career race on Feb. 15 before winning the Jeff Ruby. The Kentucky Derby will be his first race on dirt. … Final Gambit worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on April 9 on the Churchill Downs dirt. … Cox also trained Pachinko, Final Gambit's dam. Pachinko raced nine times from 2016-18 with a 1-2-2 record, breaking her maiden at Ellis Park in her eighth try.
What they're saying: 'He was a horse that was pretty immature from the beginning, so we just developed him slowly and it took him a couple of tries to break his maiden,' assistant trainer Tessa Walden said after the Jeff Ruby victory. 'He's continuously showed the ability to step up, and we thought it was a good time to try. I don't think (the switch to dirt) will be an issue for him. He's got the maturity now to handle something different.'
Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032.
The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms.
You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock.
Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
More horse racing: Five things to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby field as draw approaches April 26
This story was updated to add a gallery.
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