Latest news with #Medagliad'Oro
Gulf Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Sovereignty and East Avenue to lead Godolphin charge at Kentucky Derby
Sovereignty and East Avenue provide two strong chances for Godolphin to secure an elusive first G1 Kentucky Derby victory at Churchill Downs, US, on Saturday. A total of 12 colts in the royal blue silks have previously contested the Run for the Roses, with Champion Two-Year-Old and subsequent Belmont Stakes hero Essential Quality faring best as he was promoted to third in 2021. Both 2025 contenders come into the race on the back of strong efforts in defeat, with Sovereignty having closed well to go down by a length and a quarter to Tappan Street in last month's G1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Sovereignty scored on his three-year-old return at the Florida track, swooping late to edge out River Thames in the G2 Fountain Of Youth Stakes. The Bill Mott-trained son of Into Mischief shed his maiden tag at Churchill Downs in late October, decisively winning the G3 Street Sense Stakes by five lengths. East Avenue enjoyed a spectacular start to his career for Brendan Walsh, scoring by eight lengths on his debut at Ellis Park before an equally emphatic victory in Keeneland's G1 Breeders' Futurity. A bad stumble leaving the stalls cost East Avenue any chance in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, although the Medaglia d'Oro colt had no excuses for a disappointing start to his three-year-old campaign in the G2 Risen Star Stakes. East Avenue returned to form under an aggressive ride in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April, when he was caught in the shadow of the post to finish a nose second to Fountain Of Youth Stakes fourth Burnham Square. Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: 'Sovereignty is coming into the Kentucky Derby in excellent shape. He appears to be galloping everyday with great vigour and enjoying the Churchill Downs surface. He breezed on Sunday, and it was a nice easy maintenance work with a good gallop out. Bill could not be happier with the way he is doing. 'His draw [18] shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience with his running style. Hopefully, as they stretch out, he will be able to draft into the middle of the pack and not be wide going into the first turn. I believe having Junior Alvarado back from injury to ride him is a big advantage as he knows the horse so well and has confidence in him.' Good Cheer aims to provide Godolphin with a second G1 Kentucky Oaks victory in the space of three years as she looks to maintain her unbeaten record. Like the 2023 winner Pretty Mischievous, Good Cheer lines up under the Twin Spires having prepped at Fair Grounds, with easy wins in the G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes and G2 Fair Grounds Oaks on her two starts this season. A homebred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, Good Cheer won at Churchill Downs three times during her juvenile season. 'East Avenue has delighted Brendan since his very narrow miss in the Bluegrass. He is pleasing all in the Walsh barn and appears to be peaking at the right time. He showed in the Bluegrass that he has grown up and is ready to fight when the going gets tough. 'He had his final work for the Derby on Sunday and shaded a minute for his 5-furlong breeze with a nice gallop out. Manny Franco flew in from New York for the work and was very complimentary. He is very excited about riding him on Saturday. 'He got a good draw in 12, so hopefully he can draft in just behind the speed and be in position to take on the leaders on the final turn. We expect him to show up and be fighting out the finish.' Sprinting revelation Think Big goes for back-to-back G2 wins in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the same card. Trained by Michael Stidham, the Twirling Candy homebred is unbeaten in three appearances on grass and made an impressive Graded Stakes debut when beating Rogue Lightning in Keeneland's Shakertown Stakes earlier in the month. Agencies
NBC Sports
17-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2025 Kentucky Derby odds: Betting, full field, expert analysis, jockeys, trainers, and fun facts
The field is set for the 151st Kentucky Derby and while the Run for the Roses is not until May 3 and the draw does not even happen until April 26, storylines are emerging. Legendary trainer Bob Baffert's return to the Kentucky Derby tops the list. Back at Churchill Downs for the first time in three years following his suspension due to a failed post-race drug test involving his horse, Medina Spirit, after the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Baffert returns with multiple entries (Citizen Bull, Madaket Road, Rodriguez). Journalism is the current favorite followed by Sovereignty and Sandman, but the field features speed beyond those three thoroughbreds. Keep in mind, the favorite has won the Kentucky Derby just under 35% of the time since 1908 (40 times). In fact, the favorite has failed to secure a victory the last five years. Because the Run for the Roses remains a race where surprises are common, and longshots often emerge victorious, lets dive into the field for 2025. NBC Sports' horse racing analyst Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) offers his thoughts on the contenders and once post positions are drawn on April 26, he will be back offering his favorite plays. The following is a snapshot of each horse in the field including their lineage, jockey, trainer, and career highlights on their path to the 151st Kentucky Derby. (Horses listed in alphabetical order) Sire: Drefong Jockey: Christophe Lemaire | Trainer: Yukihiro Kato Career Highlight: Won the UAE Derby Fun Fact: Admire Daytona was the top points earner on the European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby Sire: Justify Jockey: Nik Juarez | Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Virginia Derby Fun Fact: The phrase 'American Promise' is also associated with a handful of moments leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Sire: Liam's Map Jockey: Brian T. Hernandez, Jr. | Trainer: Ian R. Wilkes Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Blue Grass Stakes Fun Fact: Burnham Square's grandfather is 1990 Derby winner Unbridled Sire: Preservationist Jockey: Jareth Loveberry | Trainer: Ethan W. West Career Highlight: Placed second at the 2025 Louisiana Derby Fun Fact: This is Loveberry's second Derby ride. He rode Two Phil's to a second-place finish in 2023. Sire: Into Mischief Jockey: Martin Garcia | Trainer: Bob Baffert Career Highlight: Won the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fun Fact: This will be Garcia's 5th Derby. His best finish was third in 2015 aboard Dortmund. Sire: Coal Front Jockey: Juan P. Vargas | Trainer: Lonnie Briley Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Rebel Stakes Fun Fact: Both of Coal Battle's parents, Coal Front and Wolfblade, are descendants of Seattle Slew. Sire: Medaglia d'Oro Jockey: Luan Machado | Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh Career Highlight: Second in the 2025 Blue Grass Stakes Fun Fact: Medaglia d'Oro, East Avenue's sire, raced in all three Triple Crown races in 2002, finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby, eighth in the Preakness and second in the Belmont. Sire: Not This Time Jockey: Luan Machado | Trainer: Brad H. Cox Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Jeff Ruby Steaks Fun Fact: The Kentucky Derby will be Final Gambit's first race on dirt. Sire: Karakontie Jockey: Joseph D. Ramos | Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman Career Highlight: Second in the 2025 Jeff Ruby Steaks Fun Fact: The Kentucky Derby will be Flying Mohawk's first race on dirt. Sire: Curlin Jockey: John Velazquez | Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher Career Highlight: Rallied from seventh for a second-place finish in the Wood Memorial to qualify for the Derby Fun Fact: Pletcher and Velazquez teamed up to win the Derby with Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli | Trainer: Mike McCarthy Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Santa Anita Derby Fun Fact: Curlin has sired winners of the Preakness, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Classic but not the Kentucky Derby Sire: American Pharaoh Jockey: TBA | Trainer: Noriyuki Hori Race Highlight: Won the 2025 Fukuryu Stakes Fun Fact: Luxor Cafe won three stakes races in Japan to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Trainer and horse making their first starts outside of Japan. Sire: Quality Road Jockey: Mike E. Smith | Trainer: Bob Baffert Career Highlight: Finished second in the Rebel Stakes Fun Fact: Baffert's 1st of 5 Kentucky Derby wins was with Silver Charm in 1997. Sire: Speightstown Jockey: TBA | Trainer: Brian Lynch Career Highlight: Won the Tampa Bay Derby with the 2nd fastest time in the history of the race Fun Fact: Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode Owen Almighty at Tampa but the ride is in question for the Derby. Sire: American Pharoah Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen Career Highlight: Finished second in the Arkansas Derby Fun Fact: Asmussen is the winningest trainer of all-time amassing over 10,000 victories as a trainer Sire: Maclean's Music Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher Career Highlight: Finished second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes Fun Fact: River Thames has never run a race the length of the Kentucky Derby (1 1/4 miles). Sire: Authentic Jockey: Michael E. Smith | Trainer: Bob Baffert Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Wood Memorial Fun Fact: Both of Rodriguez' victories have come in wire-to-wire fashion, and he figures to be at or near the front early in the Kentucky Derby. Sire: Tapit Jockey: Jose L. Ortiz | Trainer: Mark Casse Career Highlight: won the 2025 Arkansas Derby Fun Fact: Tapit is the No. 1 active sire by lifetime Grade 1 winners, and the All-Time leading sire by earnings. Jockey: Manuel Franco | Trainer: William I. Mott Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Fountain of Youth Fun Fact: Mott was the trainer of Resilience who finished sixth in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Jockey: Luis Saez | Trainer: Brad H. Cox Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Florida Derby Fun Fact: Tappan Street upset Sovereignty to win the Florida Derby. Sire: Tiz the Law Jockey: Joel Rosario | Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen Career Highlight: Won the 2025 Louisiana Derby Fun Fact: Asmussen's father was a jockey, and his two sons are currently jockeys. As the Derby approaches and the Draw is announced, NBC Sports will keep you up to speed on the latest news from Churchill Downs as the best in horse racing make their final preparations in an effort to claim the coveted blanket of roses.
