Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Keewaydin impresses at Aqueduct

It’s increasingly apparent that a six-furlong maiden special weight contested on Aug. 24 at Saratoga was a key race with an above-average field. It's already produced several possible 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders.

The winner, Tip Top Thomas, came back to finish second in the Champagne (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Fifth-place finisher C K Wonder broke his maiden at Keeneland last week. Now Keewaydin, third by a head and a nose on Aug. 24, is a winner thanks to a flashy performance in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct last Saturday.

Favored at 1-2 while making his second start for trainer Chad Brown, Keewaydin ran to his odds. He was always involved in the battle for supremacy through splits of :22.67 and :45.70, then kicked away to a three-length lead in midstretch. Runner-up Volt cut into that margin through the final furlong, but Keewaydin was always in control and crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front. Volt, meanwhile, pulled 10 lengths clear of the rest.

Keewaydin clocked his final furlong in an excellent :12.10 to record a snappy final time of 1:22.09. As a son of Instagrand out of a mare by Officer, Keeywaydin is bred for speed and may ultimately prove best as a sprinter. But his obvious talent surely warrants a foray on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, in case he proves to have more stamina than his pedigree indicates at first glance.

In contrast, stamina shouldn’t be a question mark for David of Athens. The Brendan Walsh trainee is a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of a mare by Majestic Warrior, the sire of Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Princess of Sylmar and the dam sire of Santa Anita H. (G1) winner Newgate and Wood Memorial (G2) conqueror Lord Miles.

Despite his stout pedigree, David of Athens proved sufficiently speedy to win his debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight on Friday at Keeneland. He wasn’t the fastest colt out of the starting gate, settling three lengths behind splits of :22.27 and :45.23, but no one ran a faster final furlong. As the finish line approached, David of Athens wore down the dueling pacesetters to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:10.98.

On Monday at Santa Anita, another stoutly bred juvenile visited the winner’s circle. That was Dr Ruben M, conditioned by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill. The chestnut colt is a son of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso out of a mare by Majestic Warrior.

Dr Ruben M finished second and fifth in his first two starts sprinting, then second again when stretching out over one mile. He finally broke through in his second attempt racing one mile, which marked his fourth overall start. Overlooked at odds of 7-1 in a maiden special weight, Dr Ruben M dashed to the front through fractions of :22.82, :47.13, and 1:11.93, widening his lead at every call. His advantage grew to four lengths with a furlong remaining, and despite growing leg-weary through a :13.86 final furlong, Dr Ruben M held on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:38.86.

We must also give a shout-out to Bracket Buster, a son of the Grade 1-winning sprinter/miler Vekoma out of the stakes-winning sprinter Spring Dance. The Victoria Oliver trainee is bred for speed, but ironically improved while stretching out over 1 1/16 miles for a maiden special weight at Keeneland last Wednesday.

Indeed, Bracket Buster never threatened to win his first two starts sprinting, finishing third and seventh. But in his first foray around two turns, the bay colt pressed fractions of :23.28 and :47.89 in second place before taking over and turning back a challenger to triumph by half a length in 1:45.34. Perhaps Bracket Buster is ready to defy his pedigree and succeed running long on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Top maiden winner of the week: Keewaydin

Honorable mention: David of Athens