Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: 6 from Derby-winning trainers

Four Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainers combined to saddle six high-profile two-year-old maiden winners last week.

Any of these half-dozen juveniles have the potential to make noise on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2025.

Let’s take a trainer-by-trainer look at last week’s notable maiden winners:

Bob Baffert: Madaket Road

Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby a record-equaling six times since 1997. His latest contender for the 2025 Run for the Roses is Madaket Road, purchased for $650,000 as a yearling.

Madaket Road has already shown promise against graded stakes competition, debuting with a runner-up finish in a deep edition of the seven-furlong Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar. In that contest, Madaket Road finished 2 3/4 lengths ahead of the multiple Grade 1-placed McKinzie Street.

Dropping in class for a six-furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita last Thursday allowed Madaket Road to visit the winner’s circle. Favored at 9-10, the son of Quality Road settled as many as 3 1/2 lengths behind hot fractions of :21.99 and :44.50 before rallying when called upon to beat fellow closer Father Ted by half a length in 1:09.97.

Brad Cox: Gunmetal and Tappan Street

Cox picked up his first Kentucky Derby win with Mandaloun, who prevailed in 2021 via the disqualification of first-past-the-post Medina Spirit. Cox’s deep stable contains several up-and-coming contenders for the 2025 Derby, including recent maiden winners Gunmetal and Tappan Street.

A son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner (the sire of 2024 Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone), Gunmetal sold for $410,000 as a yearling and lived up to expectations when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight on Thursday at Fair Grounds. The chestnut colt pressed fast fractions of :21.88 and :44.89 before putting away the pacesetter to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:09.85.

Tappan Street employed similar tactics to graduate in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The son of six-time leading North American sire Into Mischief rated a length behind splits of :22.34 and :45.13, then wore down the pacesetter (who held a three-length advantage at the eighth pole) to score by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:23.46. It was a promising first start for Tappan Street, who sold for $1 million as a yearling.

Rick Dutrow: Captain Cook

Best known for winning the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) with champion Big Brown, Rick Dutrow has been winning races left and right at Aqueduct over the past two months. One of his wins came courtesy of second-time starter Captain Cook, a son of the multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter/miler Practical Joke.

Captain Cook debuted with a sixth-place finish in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, beaten four lengths. He improved dramatically when tackling a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct last Saturday, racing in second through splits of :22.43 and :45.30 before seizing command and powering away to win by 9 1/4 lengths in 1:24.22.

D. Wayne Lukas: American Promise and Innovator

D. Wayne Lukas has won the Kentucky Derby four times, most recently in 1999. His quest for a fifth Derby win took a positive turn at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, when Lukas sent out a pair of juveniles to break their maidens.

A particularly impressive win came from American Promise. The son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify lost his first five starts over a variety of distances at Saratoga and Churchill Downs, but broke through when tackling a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn. He led all the way through fractions of :23.37, :47.28, and 1:12.16 before staying on to win by 1 1/2 lengths over runner-up Publisher, who pulled 19 1/2 lengths clear of the rest.

A half-sibling to five-time stakes winner Hoosier Philly, American Promise reached the finish line in 1:44.81, a fast time over the slow-playing track at Oaklawn, which was muddy on Sunday. For comparison, two-year-old fillies required 1:40.12 to complete the one-mile Year’s End S. one race prior.

Innovator also delivered a quick win for Lukas. Fifth in the Hopeful (G1) during the summer at Saratoga, Innovator endured some tough luck across his first six starts, failing to visit the winner’s circle while finishing second on four occasions. One of those runner-up finishes came on Dec. 6 in the Advent S. at Oaklawn.

Dropping down in class for a six-furlong maiden special weight made the difference. Favored at 4-5, Innovator led at every call through fractions of :21.81 and :45.24, digging deep down the lane to prevail by a head in 1:09.81. Again, that was a strong time over the slow-playing track, suggesting this son of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic is progressing in the right direction.

Bonus: Ian Wilkes: Burnham Square

Technically, trainer Ian Wilkes hasn’t won the Kentucky Derby as a trainer. But he was assistant trainer to Carl Nafzger when Nafzger won the 2007 Derby with Street Sense, and Wilkes was also the exercise rider of Nafzger’s 1990 Derby winner Unbridled.

Perhaps Wilkes can pick up his first Derby win as a trainer with Burnham Square. The son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Liam’s Map made a strong impression in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Second and third in his first two starts on the Kentucky circuit, Burnham Square found the competition more manageable in Florida, settling just off the early pace before taking over on his way to a nine-length triumph in 1:44.31.

Top maiden winner of the week: Gunmetal

Honorable mention: American Promise