Coal Battle trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Coal Battle trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Meet Kentucky Derby contender Coal Battle's trainer Lonnie Briley
At the age of 72, Louisiana trainer Lonnie Briley talks about Kentucky Derby contender Coal Battle ahead of the 151st Run for the Roses.
Coal Battle will enter the Kentucky Derby off a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on March 29
Lonnie Briley, the 72-year-old trainer of Coal Battle, is in the Kentucky Derby for the first time
Coal Battle 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.
Coal Battle will enter the Kentucky Derby off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park. He currently ranks eighth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 95.
Color: Dark bay.
Bred in: Kentucky.
Sire: Coal Front.
Dam: Wolfblade, by Midshipman.
Price tag: $70,000 at 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale.
Owner: Norman Stables (Robbie Norman). First Derby.
Trainer: Lonnie Briley. First Derby.
Jockey: Juan Vargas. First Derby.
Record: 5-0-1 in eight starts.
Career earnings: $1,188,875.
Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 95 (No. 8).
Last race: Third in Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn Park.
Running style: Versatile colt has won on the lead and coming from behind.
Notes: He's won five races at four different tracks — Evangeline, Delta Downs, Remington Park and Oaklawn Park (twice). He won the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 23 at 11-1 odds to put himself in contention for a Kentucky Derby spot. … The 72-year-old Briley has been training on the Louisiana circuit for more than 30 years. He had never even entered a horse in a graded stake — much less won one — until Coal Battle's score in the Rebel. … Coal Battle's two worst finishes have come in his two Kentucky races – fourth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile on Sept. 8 and seventh in an allowance race at Keeneland on Oct. 12. ... The third-place finisher in last year's Arkansas Derby, Mystik Dan, went on to win the Kentucky Derby.
What they're saying: 'It was a long drive getting to Churchill (from Oaklawn Park), but we're getting settled in,' Briley said. 'He's a pretty laid-back horse. If he's not lying down, he's usually at the back of his stall just relaxing. He knows when it's game time.'
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: Set for second Kentucky Derby, St. Xavier grad Whit Beckman hopes for better racing luck
This story was updated to add a gallery.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Open Round 2 live updates, leaderboard: Scottie Scheffler struggling early, Brooks Koepka in the hunt
J.J. Spaun pulled out one of the best rounds that Oakmont Country Club has ever seen during a U.S. Open on Thursday. Spaun fired a bogey-free 66 to kick off the U.S. Open, which gave him a one-shot lead over the field. He's playing in his first U.S. Open, and he carded what was just the second bogey-free round at a U.S. Open at Oakmont. Thriston Lawrence sits alone in second at 3-under, and Brooks Koepka leads a group tied for third at 2-under. Advertisement Other big names, however, struggled. Rory McIlroy posted a rough 4-over 74 on Thursday, and he left the course without speaking to reporters once again. Phil Mickelson, who is possibly playing in his last U.S. Open, matched him at 4-over. Bryson DeChambeau was only a shot better. Scheffler also shot a 3-over 73, which put him seven shots back from Spaun. Scheffler, who was a massive favorite entering the week, posted six bogeys on the day. Stick with Yahoo Sports for all of the updates throughout the second round of the U.S. Open. How to watch the 2025 U.S. Open All times ET Friday, June 13 Peacock: 6:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Watch U.S. Open All-Access on Peacock) NBC: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, June 14 USA: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. NBC: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday, June 15 USA: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. NBC: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
The annual PFT Live hiatus starts now
We do it every year, right around now. The two-hour weekday show devoted to all things NFL embarks on a hiatus. This year's break begins today. PFT Live returns on Monday, July 28. Obviously, nothing changes here. We'll have many daily updates, every single day. I'll also be doing #PFTPM episodes on most of the weekdays during the upcoming break. Only days after we return, we'll be in Canton for the Hall of Fame game. And then comes the preseason. And the regular season. And on and on it goes, through Super Bowl LX on NBC and Peacock. Since the last hiatus ended, we've had a cast of co-hosts including Chris Simms, Devin McCourty, Rodney Harrison, Michael Holley, Charean Williams, and Myles Simmons. With a dash of Peter King. Thanks to all of them for helping to deliver a show that provides an authentic look at pro football, from various perspectives. And thanks to those of you who regularly consume the show, on Peacock or SiriusXM 85 or NBC Sports Now or Sky Sports or YouTube or clips on the website or via podcast.I'll be wide awake tomorrow morning, itching to do the show.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Open 2025 Round 2 live updates, leaderboard: J.J. Spaun leads as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy struggle early
J.J. Spaun pulled out one of the best rounds that Oakmont Country Club has ever seen during a U.S. Open on Thursday. Spaun fired a bogey-free 66 to kick off the U.S. Open, which gave him a one-shot lead over the field. He's playing in his first U.S. Open, and he carded what was just the second bogey-free round at a U.S. Open at Oakmont. Thriston Lawrence sits alone in second at 3-under, and Brooks Koepka leads a group tied for third at 2-under. Advertisement Other big names, however, struggled. Rory McIlroy posted a rough 4-over 74 on Thursday, and he left the course without speaking to reporters once again. Phil Mickelson, who is possibly playing in his last U.S. Open, matched him at 4-over. Bryson DeChambeau was only a shot better. Scheffler also shot a 3-over 73, which put him seven shots back from Spaun. Scheffler, who was a massive favorite entering the week, posted six bogeys on the day. Stick with Yahoo Sports for all of the updates throughout the second round of the U.S. Open. How to watch the 2025 U.S. Open All times ET Friday, June 13 Peacock: 6:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Watch U.S. Open All-Access on Peacock) NBC: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, June 14 USA: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. NBC: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday, June 15 USA: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. NBC: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
