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USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Preakness Stakes 2025: Updated odds Friday before the race
Preakness Stakes 2025: Updated odds Friday before the race We are just one day away from the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and the only constant amid the preparations appears to be the rain soaking the track. That'll likely be the case up until post time for Saturday's second leg of the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, Kentucky Derby champion Sovereignty is skipping this weekend's festivities, taking some of the intrigue out of the race. The good news is there is still a ton of star power in the nine-horse field. WHAT'S IN A NAME? Every wacky and whimsical 2025 Preakness horse name, ranked Infamous trainer Bob Baffert has found himself on the rail again with Goal Oriented while Kentucky Derby favorite — and now Preakness favorite — Journalism slots into gate No. 2. A third of the Preakness field ran the Kentucky Derby. We'll see how much that quick turnaround impacts Saturday's main event. Post time at Pimlico is set for 6:50 p.m. ET. 1. Goal Oriented Friday Odds: 6-1 Morning Line Odds: 6-1 Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Flavien Prat Owner(s): SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables 2. Journalism Friday Odds: 8-5 Morning Line Odds: 8-5 Trainer: Michael W. McCarthy Jockey: Umberto Rispoli Owner(s): Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, Robert LaPenta 3. American Promise Friday Odds: 15-1 Morning Line Odds: 15-1 Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Jockey: Nik Juarez Owner(s): BC Stables LLC 4. Heart Of Honor Friday Odds: 12-1 Morning Line Odds: 12-1 Trainer: Jamie Osborne Jockey: Saffie Osborne Owner(s): Jim and Claire Limited 5. Pay Billy Friday Odds: 20-1 Morning Line Odds: 20-1 Trainer: Michael Gorham Jockey: Raul Mena Owner(s): RKTN Racing LLC 6. River Thames Friday Odds: 9-2 Morning Line Odds: 9-2 Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Owner(s): Winstar Farm LLC, CHC Inc., Pantofeel Stable LLC, Wachtel Stable 7. Sandman Friday Odds: 4-1 Morning Line Odds: 4-1 Trainer: Mark E. Casse Jockey: John Velazquez Owner(s): D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, CJ Stables 8. Clever Again Friday Odds: 4-1 Morning Line Odds: 4-1 Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Jose Ortiz Owner(s): Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith 9. Gosger Friday Odds: 20-1 Morning Line Odds: 20-1 Trainer: Brendan Walsh Jockey: Luis Saez Owner(s): Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables, LLC
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rodriguez trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Rodriguez trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Kentucky Derby 2025 contender Rodriguez works out at Churchill Downs Trainer Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby contender Rodriguez trained at Churchill Downs ahead of the 2025 race. Rodriguez is 2-2-1 in five starts. Rodriguez will enter the Kentucky Derby off a front-running victory in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Trainer Bob Baffert is looking for his record seventh Kentucky Derby victory Rodriguez 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. Rodriguez will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 5 at Aqueduct. He currently ranks fourth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 121.25. Color: Dark bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Authentic. Dam: Cayala, by Cherokee Run. Price tag: $485,000 at 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Owners: SF Racing (Gavin Murphy); Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf); Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin); Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke); Dianne Bashor; Determined Stables (Matt Dorman); Robert Masterson; Tom Ryan; Waves Edge Capital (Gregg Slager); Catherine Donovan. Madaket and Starlight were co-owners of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic. The majority of this group teamed on Messier (15th in 2022) and Reincarnate (13th in 2023). Kumin and Wolf were co-owners of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Trainer: Bob Baffert. He's 6 for 34 in the Derby, tied with Ben Jones for the most victories by any trainer. His last win came with Authentic — Rodriguez's sire — in 2020. Jockey: Mike Smith. He's 2 for 28 in the Derby, winning with Giacomo (2005) and Justify (2018). Record: 2-2-1 in five starts. Career earnings: $522,800. Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 121.25 (No. 4). Last race: Won Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 5 at Aqueduct by 3 ½ lengths over Grande. Running style: Front-runner. Notes: Baffert is set to return to the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2021. He was suspended three years following the disqualification of Medina Spirit from the 2021 Kentucky Derby. … Both of Rodriguez's victories have come in wire-to-wire fashion, and he figures to be at or near the front early in the Kentucky Derby. … The horse is named for Sixto Rodriguez, an American musician who gained fame in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and was the subject of the 2012 documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man.' What they're saying: 'He's a May baby that is really starting to come into himself at the right time, not widely different from his father,' co-owner Tom Ryan said. 'Authentic took a while to mature, not necessarily physically, but the mental aspect needed to come together. Mike (Smith) got along well with Rodriguez (in the Wood), and that's the key to it — understanding the horse's mentality. He ran the way he likes to (in the Wood), and he sure as hell showed up.' 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@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ. More horse racing: Which horses are in or on bubble for May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs? This story was updated to add a gallery.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Citizen Bull trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Citizen Bull trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Watch 2025 Kentucky Derby contender Citizen Bull train at Churchill Downs 2025 Kentucky Derby contender Citizen Bull is trained by Bob Baffert. The horse is 4-0-1 in six career starts with $1,451,000 in earnings. Citizen Bull will enter the Kentucky Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby Citizen Bull was the 2-year-old champion after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at 15-1 odds Citizen Bull 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. Citizen Bull will enter the Kentucky Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5. He currently ranks 10th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 71.25. Color: Bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Into Mischief. Dam: No Joke, by Distorted Humor. Price tag: $675,000 at 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Owners: SF Racing (Gavin Murphy); Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf); Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin); Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke); Dianne Bashor; Determined Stables (Matt Dorman); Robert Masterson; Tom Ryan; Waves Edge Capital (Gregg Slager); Catherine Donovan. Madaket and Starlight were co-owners of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic. The majority of this group teamed on Messier (15th in 2022) and Reincarnate (13th in 2023). Kumin and Wolf were co-owners of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Trainer: Bob Baffert. He's 6 for 34 in the Derby, tied with Ben Jones for the most victories by any trainer. His last win came with Authentic in 2020. Jockey: Martin Garcia. He's 0 for 4 in the Derby, best finish coming with Dortmund (third) in 2015. Record: 4-0-1 in six starts. Career earnings: $1,451,000. Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 71.25 (No. 10). Last race: Fourth in Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5. Running style: Front-runner. Notes: Citizen Bull was the 2-year-old champion after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November at Del Mar at 15-1 odds. The last Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to capture the Run for the Roses was Nyquist (2015-16). … Citizen Bull won his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita before his fourth-place showing in the Santa Anita Derby. … Baffert is set to return to the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2021. He was suspended three years following the disqualification of Medina Spirit from the 2021 Kentucky Derby. What they're saying: 'I was discouraged (Citizen Bull) didn't get the win today,' Baffert said after the Santa Anita Derby. 'He got tired. He's a heavy horse. The track was deep today. We will figure this out.' 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. More Kentucky Derby: Five things to know about 2025 field as draw approaches April 26 Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.
New York Times
02-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Analyzing the Kentucky Derby 2025 field: Favorites, contenders and long shots
After three years in exile from Churchill Downs, Bob Baffert is back. The famed trainer was banned from the Louisville track in 2021 after his Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, failed a post-race blood test. Now, the man who is tied for the most Kentucky Derby wins (six) is back, though one of his two entries was scratched Thursday. However, his remaining entrant still has a shot to win. Advertisement Handicapping the Derby is unlike handicapping pretty much any other race. None of the horses has run the 10-furlong distance. None of them has run in a 20-horse field. None of them has experienced the frenzy that is the Derby crowd. Pace scenarios can dissolve as soon as the gates open, traffic is virtually a given and, sometimes, you need more luck than skill to earn the blanket of roses. So here, we'll focus on running styles and performances in top-level races, in the hope of getting horses home at good prices. In post-position order, here's your look at the field for the 151st Kentucky Derby. Odds referenced are morning line odds from when the field was set April 26. For the most recent odds on the field, visit our updating odds page. Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Martin Garcia Morning line odds: 20-1 One of the standouts in this year's crop of 3-year-olds, Citizen Bull had won four of five races, all comfortably, all in stakes races, before heading into the Santa Anita Derby earlier this month. But a puzzling fourth-place finish at Santa Anita certainly raises questions, as the inveterate frontrunner was in his customary place in the lead when he yielded down the stretch. Granted, the top two finishers in that race are very good horses — and both are entered here, with winner Journalism the favorite and Baeza joining the field as an alternate — but proceed with caution. If Citizen Bull doesn't get to the lead right away, and that's a big ask from post 1, he has no shot. Owner: C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, Stefania Farms, Ken Reimer, Paul Braverman, and Timothy Pinch Advertisement Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph Jr. Jockey: Flavien Prat Morning line odds: 30-1 He's winless in graded stakes, and the speed figure in his last race, a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, is the lowest of any other entrant's most recent performance. He's another that needs the lead to be competitive, but even if he gets there, he doesn't have enough speed to compete with the other horses. Owner: Juddmonte Trainer: Brad Cox Jockey: Luan Machado Morning line odds: 30-1 Juddmonte's racing and breeding operations are among the best on the planet, and they don't mess around. Still, one wonders just what this horse is doing in this race. He's never raced on dirt, his four races having been contested on turf and synthetic surfaces, and his lone start outside of the maiden ranks came in March. That was a Grade 3, sure, and he did win by 3 1/2 lengths, but I'm not seeing it. Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike Smith Scratched Thursday by Baffert, Rodriguez won't run in the Derby. With this decision, Baeza enters the field and the other qualifiers will move one slot closer to the rail. More on Baeza below. Owner: BC Stables Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Jockey: Nik Juarez Morning line odds: 30-1 As his win in the Preakness with Seize the Grey last year demonstrated, never discount 89-year-old D. Wayne Lukas. A lot will have to go right for this horse and wrong with a lot of other runners, so I wouldn't bet the farm on him, but the speed figure in his last start impressed. That said, he's never even hit the board in a graded stakes race, he's been beaten several times by other runners here and he's another that's going to want to get to the front. You want to root for a story and for Lukas to get his fifth Derby win? Wager lightly. Advertisement Owner: Junko Kondo Trainer: Yukihiro Kato Jockey: Christophe Lemaire Morning line odds: 30-1 Over the last decade, U.S. racing entities have aggressively wooed international runners, many of which, like this one, boast American bloodlines. Admire Daytona earned his way into the race by winning the UAE Derby in Dubai, eking out a nose win in a race that carries Kentucky Derby qualifying points. There's no doubt that Japanese-trained horses are on the rise, but the first Japanese Kentucky Derby winner will have to wait. The international travel is a drawback, as is a race record for Admire Daytona that, while respectable, doesn't inspire confidence. Owner: Koichi Nishikawa Trainer: Noriyuki Hori Jockey: João Moreira Morning line odds: 15-1 This Japanese runner earned points in the Japan series of qualifying races, winning the Fukuryu and Hyacinth Stakes. He comes to the Derby with four straight wins, and he's sired by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. His record is impressive, and while I wouldn't rule him out, this is a big ask. Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith Trainer: Michael McCarthy Jockey: Umberto Rispoli Morning line odds: 3-1 After finishing third in his first start last October, this $825,000 yearling purchase has reeled off four straight wins, three of them in graded stakes races. His speed figures tower over those of most of his rivals here, and he's got a stalking running style that means that he can sit in the second tier of runners before finding space to run late. If Journalism makes the post-race headlines, it will be the first Derby win for both trainer and jockey. Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds Advertisement Trainer: Ian Wilkes Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. Morning line odds: 12-1 Wilkes is one of those trainers who doesn't run in big races just for the sake of it. Burnham Square turned in two impressive performances to earn his way here, a 1 3/4-length win in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and a nose victory in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. He comes from off the pace, which is an advantageous running style, though he is perhaps not quite fast enough to hit the wire first. Owner: Repole Stable (Mike Repole) Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez Morning line odds: 20-1 Mike Repole has become a fixture at the Kentucky Derby, but his profile is quite a bit lower than it has been in past years, when he came with high hopes to get his first Derby win. Grande is a good deal less accomplished than his other Derby runners (or prospective Derby runners — twice, his horses have been scratched within a day of the race), having run only three times, all of them this year. A second-place finish in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in early April got him here; prior to that, he'd never run in a stakes race. Both jockey and trainer are in the Hall of Fame and are Derby veterans: Velazquez has won this race three times, Pletcher twice. Grande came from off the pace in his last race, a departure from his usual place in front, perhaps in a test to see whether the horse can take back in a race like this. He'll need to take a gigantic step forward to compete here, and I'll look for him down the road in the summer races. Owner: Two Eight Racing (Jayson Werth), Berry Family Racing, and Kaleta Racing Trainer: Whit Beckman Jockey: Joseph Ramos Morning line odds: 30-1 Here's another that squeaked his way into the Derby field at the last minute, running second in a qualifying race in March. That was his first test not on turf, but Turfway Park runs on a synthetic surface, meaning that this runner will be making his first start on dirt in a huge field with experienced, talented runners. Pass. Advertisement Owner: Godolphin Trainer: Brendan Walsh Jockey: Manuel Franco Morning line odds: 20-1 The buzz on this horse has run hot and cold since he debuted with an eight-length win at Ellis Park last August. In his second start, he won the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity, then faltered badly in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the Risen Star Stakes. A narrow loss in the Blue Grass put him squarely back in the Derby picture, but as another need-the-lead type, I think he's outclassed here. Owner: Gus King and Estate of Brereton C. Jones Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Morning line odds: 20-1 Anyone with me on the Journalism/Publisher exacta hunch bet? A hunch might be the only way to convince yourself to bet this horse, which has never — NEVER — won a race. In seven lifetime starts, he's got two seconds and three thirds, and those finishes earned him enough points to get into the race. It would indeed be breaking news for a maiden to win the Derby. Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Joel Rosario Morning line odds: 20-1 After a couple of good races as a 2-year-old, this colt has made it to the winner's circle only once in five races going back to last October. As the competition has gotten tougher, he's found it hard to keep up, though his closing style may help him complete some vertical exotics. Owner: Baccari Racing Stable, Dream Walkin Farms, MJM Racing, Rocket Ship Racing and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) Trainer: Ken McPeek Jockey: Julien Leparoux Morning line odds: 30-1 McPeek won both the Oaks and Derby last year, and he's got runners in both again this year. This colt is unlikely to get him back to the Churchill winner's circle on Saturday. Winless since breaking his maiden last October, he's seldom been competitive, and while analyzing jockey changes can be a fool's errand, the jockey who rode McPeek's horses to Oaks and Derby victory last year is on another horse in the race this year. Advertisement Thursday morning, McPeek told Stephen Andress the colt is suffering from a quarter crack. While this is not a serious injury, keep in mind this is the ailment that plagued 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown ahead of his Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont Stakes. Big Brown ended up being eased in that race. Proceed accordingly. Owner: Norman Stables Trainer: Lonnie Briley Jockey: Juan Vargas Morning line odds: 30-1 A pretty consistent runner in listed stakes races, Coal Battle impressed when taking the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs in his first jump into graded stakes company. He followed that up with a distance third-place finish last out, and while his versatile running style could be useful here, so would an additional burst of speed, which he's thus far not shown in his eight-race career. Owner: D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables Trainer: Mark Casse Jockey: José Ortiz Morning line odds: 6-1 This impressively bred colt brought $1.2 million as a 2-year-old a year ago March, and in eight races since then, he's earned back his purchase price, winning the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and placing in three other graded stakes. His late-closing style won't be hampered by this outside post, and while two of his worst races have come over the Churchill Downs track, I expect him to be well in the mix and will try to beat Journalism with him. Owner: Godolphin Trainer: Bill Mott Jockey: Junior Alvarado Morning line odds: 5-1 Bill Mott isn't the sort of trainer who will enter just to have a horse in the Derby, so even though this horse is fairly lightly raced, especially his campaign this year, he gets a long look from me. In his first start off a five-month layoff, he won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes by a neck, then came back to finish second in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. He's a closer in a race loaded with speed, and his connections are impeccable. Advertisement Owner: Terry L. Stephens Trainer: Ethan West Jockey: Jareth Loveberry Morning line odds: 30-1 This long shot is getting a lot of attention from racing insiders. He cost a mere $2,500 as a yearling, and he began his career on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park in December. After two starts (a win and a second), he headed to Louisiana and the Derby trail to run in two qualifying races, finishing second in both of them. He's another one who likes to run from off the pace, and this is a big ask, but what a story it would be. Owner: Flying Dutchmen Trainer: Brian Lynch Jockey: Javier Castellano Morning line odds: 30-1 This promising colt looked great until his final prep, the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in early April. He'd been first or second in five of six races, but a bad break in the Blue Grass left him with a sixth-place finish, not exactly how you want to head into the Derby. He's also another speed horse, and this far outside post does him absolutely no favors. I'll look for him down the road, not in this spot. Owner: C R K Stable and Grandview Equine Trainer: John Shirreffs Jockey: Flavien Prat Morning line odds: 12-1 With Rodriguez scratching Thursday afternoon, Baeza has drawn in. He'll break from post position No. 20, and given his frontrunning style, he won't have any easy task getting to the lead from the far outside. He didn't debut until last December, and it was an inauspicious debut at that, finishing ninth. But that race was on grass, and he was a different animal when he got on dirt, earning a win and two seconds in three starts. That included a runner-up finish by less than a length to Derby favorite Journalism in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. If Prat can harness that early speed while the others duel up front, he could easily be in contention at the end, given the impressive speed figure for Baeza's last-out effort in the Santa Anita Derby. While I'd like to see more experience before he jumps into the madness that is the Derby field, he may well prove a formidable foe. (Photo of Journalism: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Reason Behind Every 2025 Kentucky Derby Horse's Name
The saddle cloth of Journalism during morning workout prior to the running of the 151st Kentucky ... More Derby at Churchill Downs on May 01, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by) You get 18 characters to work with when officially naming a horse. There are rules of course, all governed by the Jockey Club, but there's also plenty of freedom to dip into an owner's or stable's creativity when coming up with the next winning name. The Jockey Club oversees the naming of every horse. And with roughly 45,000 active names, no two can be the same (horse names do get reused after a horse has been inactive for a period of time, so long as it didn't meet certain thresholds that basically retire the name). As the Kentucky Derby points out, names can't be just initials or numbers, a direct name of a living person without written permission, vulgar, on the permanent list, have won a grade one stakes race in the last quarter century, and they can't simply be a direct reuse the names of horses by the same sire or dam within the first five generations. But what they can be is basically anything else. Explore the backstory behind each of this year's Kentucky Derby names: SF Racing's racing manager Tom Ryan likes his Citizen Bullhead watches, but thought changing bullhead to bull was a better fit for a horse, according to the Linda Blackford of the Lexington Herald Leader. As common in horse naming, a direct play off sire Neolithic. Juddmonte Farm opened naming to employees and Final Gambit was the winner, a play off a move in Pokemon, according to the Courier Journal. A decade-old film documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man' told the story of the American musician Sixto Rodriguez, the Rodriguez this horse is named after. Grande runs on the track during the morning training for the 151th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs ... More on April 30, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by) Brian Coelho and Jonn Bellinger, owners of BC Stables (you can see how they mustered that name) got their start with a horse named Summer Promise and their love of America led them to American Promise. MORE: Inside Churchill Downs, From Millionaire's Row To The Paddock Club This Japanese horse comes from a stable where Admire is used in horse names, this time coupled with the Florida city known for a different kind of racing. Café is attached to each name from the horse's home stable and with a sire from famed American Pharoah, an Egyptian reference was apropos. Owner Aron Wellman made a lot of newspaper folks proud by taking his history of being the sports editor of his high school newspaper into horse racing. With the dam's name Nepotism, he was also looking for a name that ended in 'ism,' according to the Lexington Herald Leader. The daughter-in-law of owner Janis Witham uses this quilting block pattern. Owner Mike Repole loves Italian names and since grande means big in Italian (and in Starbucks speak), he's expecting big things from Grande. This horse was sired by Karakontie, a Mohawk word that roughly translates to flying sun burning across the sky. Kentucky Derby hopeful Final Gambit runs at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in ... More Louisville, Kentucky. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Breeding operation Godolphin opened naming to employees and East Avenue is where the firm's Saratoga, New York, training facility is located. Owner Gus King just liked it. Simple enough. Sired by Tiz the Law. This one is a play off the sire Blame. Coal Battle is a play off the sire's name of Coal Front. Yeah, Metallica is involved. Owner Jonathan Green, though, didn't choose it as a straight take off of the Metallica song 'Enter Sandman,' instead because he's a fan of legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who walked onto the mound in Yankee Stadium as the Metallica song blared over the public address system. Godolphin let the employee naming program take a swing at this one. So, Sovereignty was an employee idea, based off the dam Crown. This one is confusing, but straightforward at the same time. The dam is Play for Gold and her dam was Gold N Shaft. We've got a sire in there of Mineshaft and an older dam named Gold N Delicious. The gold theme just fit. Travis Boersma, owner of Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing and CEO of Dutch Bros Coffee, named this one after his son, Owen.
