Kentucky Derby Roundup: Citizen Bull returns a winner
Citizen Bull winning the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita (Photo by Benoit Photo)
February 3rd, 2025
The 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 89 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:
Citizen Bull kicks off campaign with Robert B. Lewis triumph
Coming off a fast series of workouts, 2024 champion two-year-old male Citizen Bull made his three-year-old debut a winning one in the one-mile Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita last Saturday.
Favored at 9-10 in a small field, Citizen Bull dashed to the front and carved out increasingly stiff fractions of :23.27, :47.06, and 1:10.99 before pulling clear down the lane to score by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:36.71. It marked the third straight stakes win for the Bob Baffert-trained sophomore, following similar pacesetting triumphs in the American Pharoah (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last fall.
The Robert B. Lewis awarded Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis to its five competitors. With a total of 60 points to his credit, Citizen Bull has earned more than twice as many points as any other horse on the leaderboard.
Fellow Baffert trainees Rodriguez and Madaket Road finished second and third in the Robert B. Lewis, followed by Clock Tower and Valentines Candy. All currently rank outside the leaderboard top 20.
Burnham Square surprises in the Holy Bull
Burnham Square has improved dramatically since adding blinkers. He brought his record wearing headgear to 2-for-2 with a stretch-running score in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points.
Burnham Square was a little slow to start and trailed the seven-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.42. But he gradually advanced through the field and unleashed a strong challenge in the homestretch to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:43.60. The Ian Wilkes trainee joins the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in fourth place.
Tappan Street finished second and pulled 9 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Burning Glory. Ferocious, runner-up in the Hopeful (G1) and Breeders’ Futurity (G1) last year, finished fourth in his three-year-old debut. With 12 Kentucky Derby qualification points to his credit, Ferocious has climbed to 13th place on the leaderboard.
He’s Not Joking rounded out the Holy Bull top five.
Captain Cook successfully stretches out in Withers
Impressive Aqueduct maiden winner Captain Cook had no trouble stretching out over 1 1/8 miles for the Withers S. last Saturday, winning the fourth of Aqueduct’s six Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers by 2 1/4 lengths.
Captain Cook was always prominent tracking splits of :24.11, :49.13, and 1:13.64 in third place, and down the homestretch he clocked his final furlong in a solid :12.61 to reach the finish line in 1:51.83. Having earned the lion’s share of the 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualification points up for grabs, Captain Cook joins the leaderboard in sixth place. Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. trains the son of Practical Joke.
Surfside Moon took second place by a clear margin over Omaha Omaha. The latter previously ran second in the Jerome S. and sits in 14th place on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 11 points.
Smarty Jones S. runner-up Mo Quality finished fourth in the Withers, while Uncle Jim completed the top five.
Tampa Bay Downs locals take aim at Sam F. Davis
Horses with experience competing at Tampa Bay Downs are among the possible starters for Saturday’s Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa, a 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points.
Owen Almighty, runner-up in the Iroquois (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby last year, made his Tampa debut in the seven-furlong Pasco S. last month. He crossed the wire first by one length, but was disqualified to fifth place for interfering with a rival. Owen Almighty may get a rematch in the Sam F. Davis with Naughty Rascal, the original Pasco runner-up who was upgraded to first place.
Another possible Sam F. Davis entrant is Vassimo. The undefeated son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist brought his record to 2-for-2 with a decisive win in a one-mile and 40-yard $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Tampa last month. Vassimo is trained by Todd Pletcher, a seven-time winner of the Sam F. Davis.
Kentucky Derby contender workouts
Here are some of the latest workouts recorded by Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners:
Coal Battle: The Remington Springboard Mile and Smarty Jones S. conqueror breezed five furlongs in 1:06.80 on Friday at Delta Downs.
Built: In his first workout since finishing second in the Lecomte (G3), Gun Runner S. winner Built recorded half a mile in :47.80 on Sunday at Fair Grounds.
East Avenue: Last year’s runaway Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner traveled half a mile in :48.80 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Filoso: The Breeders’ Futurity third-place finisher clocked four furlongs in :48.70 on Friday at Palm Meadows.
Getaway Car: The American Pharoah (G1) runner-up worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Giocoso: Iroquois third-place finisher Giocoso worked a stiff six furlongs from the Fair Grounds starting gate in 1:11.80 on Saturday.
Golden Afternoon: The Lecomte (G3) fourth-place finisher worked four furlongs in :49.00 on Thursday at Fair Grounds.
Innovator: Fresh off a third in the Lecomte, Innovator breezed an easy half-mile in :51.60 on Tuesday at Oaklawn Park.
Jonathan’s Way: Prepping for his sophomore debut, Iroquois winner Jonathan’s Way blazed five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.20 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Journalism: The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner traveled half a mile in :48.80 on Thursday at Santa Anita.
McKinzie Street: The American Pharoah third-place finisher has shipped from Santa Anita to Turf Paradise, where he worked four furlongs in :47.20 on Tuesday.
Owen Almighty: Prepping for a potential start in the Sam F. Davis, Owen Almighty traversed five furlongs in 1:00.00 on Saturday at Palm Meadows.
Poster: In his first work since shipping from Turfway Park to Tampa Bay Downs, Remsen (G2) winner Poster worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Sunday.
Render Judgment: Third in the Gun Runner S., Render Judgment breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Sovereignty: Winner of the Street Sense (G3) last fall, Sovereignty took another step toward his three-year-old debut when working four furlongs in :49.20 on Friday at Payson Park.
Tip Top Thomas: In his second workout of 2025, Champagne (G1) runner-up Tip Top Thomas breezed half a mile in :50.34 on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs.
American Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five
1. Citizen Bull (60 points)
2. Speed King (25 points)
3. Coal Battle (20 points)
4. Burnham Square (20 points)
5. Disco Time (20 points)
European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five
1. Hotazhell (20 points)
2. Wimbledon Hawkeye (13 points)
3. Camille Pissarro (10 points)
4. Rashabar (5 points)
5. Delacroix (5 points)
Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five
1. Myriad Love (20 points)
2. Natural Rise (14 points)
3. Happy Man (10 points)
4. Soldier Field (6 points)
5. Clay King (5 points)
