Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Cox trainees stun at Colonial

Seven weeks out from the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1), promising three-year-olds continue to post flashy maiden victories around the country.

Time is running out for these late-maturing sophomores to make the starting gate at Churchill Downs. But with three weeks until the final round of top-tier prep races, paths to the Kentucky Derby are still open.

Might we see Lion of Justice take aim at the Run for the Roses? The son of six-time leading North American sire Into Mischief sold for $1.1 million as a yearling and impressed when debuting on Saturday in a one-mile maiden special weight at Colonial Downs. Racing over an incredibly fast track, Lion of Justice carved out fractions of :23.13, :45.34, and 1:09.23 before kicking away to dominate by 6 1/2 lengths in 1:33.87.

This powerful performance suggests Lion of Justice will be formidable wherever he heads next. Chances are, trainer Brad Cox will take a conservative approach with this full-brother to 2023 Forty Niner (G2) winner Everso Mischievous. But a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier like the April 5 Blue Grass (G1) or April 12 Lexington (G3) could conceivably be in play. Lion of Justice isn’t currently nominated to the Triple Crown, but he can be made eligible for a cost of $6,000 by the April 7 late deadline.

Cox must also decide whether to make Verifire a late nominee to the Triple Crown. Purchased for $1 million as a two-year-old in training, the son of Kentucky Derby winner Authentic impressed when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Colonial.

Racing over the same fast surface as Lion of Justice, Verifire settled three lengths behind an opening quarter-mile in :21.81, advanced to lead through a stiff half-mile in :44.42, and then powered clear through a :23.72 final quarter-mile to win by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:08.14. He missed a 13-year-old track record by just 0.28.

With only a single sprint race under his belt, Verifire appears too far behind schedule to realistically make the Kentucky Derby field. But a start in the Preakness (G1) or Belmont (G1) isn’t out of the question if Verifire progresses quickly.

The same could be true for Here Comes Francis, who sold for $250,000 as a two-year-old in training. The son of champion Improbable delivered a flashy victory when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, leading all the way through splits of :22.29 and :44.81 to score by 1 1/2 lengths in the quick time of 1:09.57.

Here Comes Francis isn’t nominated to the Triple Crown, but his sharp debut performance suggests he has the talent to rapidly develop for trainer Victor Barboza Jr.

Turning our attention away from debut winners, a trio of Triple Crown nominees with multiple starts under their belts recorded maiden victories last week, and any or all could have Road to the Kentucky Derby aspirations.

Perhaps the most notable is Voldemort, a $700,000 yearling acquisition conditioned by six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert. Voldemort debuted with a runner-up finish to stablemate Tiz Secure sprinting six furlongs on Feb. 22. He then improved when stretching out for a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita last Friday, setting hot fractions of :22.94, :45.78, and 1:09.80 before staying on to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:43.94. Could the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (G1) be in Voldemort’s future?

At Gulfstream Park on Saturday, the third time was the charm for Peachtree Stable homebred Tiger Twenty Four. Fifth and second in his first two starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Tiger Twenty Four graduated in a one-mile maiden special weight, pressing splits of :24.52 and :47.59 before taking over to win by five lengths in 1:37.95. A start in the April 5 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct—a race Mott won last year with Resilience—wouldn’t be shocking.

Pretty Capable has been busy at Fair Grounds this winter. The $550,000 yearling purchase finished fourth in his first three starts before securing his breakthrough win in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight last Wednesday. Pretty Capable raced third and fourth behind fractions of :23.72, :47.21, and 1:12.05 before taking over to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.97.

Trained by Tom Amoss, Pretty Capable is a son of three-time leading sire Tapit. Since Tapit has sired four winners of the Belmont, perhaps the final leg of the Triple Crown is a viable goal for Pretty Capable.

Top maiden winner of the week: Lion of Justice

Honorable mention: Verifire