Kentucky Derby Roundup: Coal Battle, Cyclone State win first preps of 2025

The first week of January produced a bevy of notable updates on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail.

Coal Battle scores again in Smarty Jones

Coal Battle picked up his second straight win on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when drawing off to take Saturday’s Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park by four lengths.

Setting slow fractions of :24.11, :49.03, and 1:15.64 left Coal Battle with plenty in the tank to accelerate his final five-sixteenths of a mile in :30.79 and reach the finish line in 1:46.43. He picked up the lion’s share of the 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualification points awarded to the top five finishers and now boasts 20 points in total, ranking him second on the leaderboard.

Mo Quality edged favored Kale’s Angel for second place, while Bon Temps and Hot Property completed the top five.

Cyclone State romps in the Jerome

Cyclone State made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut with an eye-catching performance in the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct.

The speedy son of McKinzie led at every call through fractions of :23.43, :47.25, and 1:13.20, widening his advantage to lead by eight lengths at the furlong marker. His lead shrank through the final furlong, but Cyclone State held on comfortably to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:40.82.

Cyclone State picked up 10 points for his win, ranking him 12th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Omaha Omaha closed strongly after a slow start to finish second, while Ican edged Remsen fourth-place finish Studlydoright for third place. Mansetti rounded out the top five.

Barnes defeats deep field in San Vicente

Although it wasn’t a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, Saturday’s San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita may turn out a Kentucky Derby starter or two.

The seven-furlong sprint was won in impressive fashion by Barnes, the 13-1 individual favorite in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2. Coming off a debut victory at Churchill Downs in which he raced greenly, the Bob Baffert-trained sophomore looked much more professional in the San Vicente, dueling through fractions of :22.65 and :45.10 before seizing command to dominate by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:22.15.

Fellow debut winner and Baffert trainee Romanesque closed through some traffic to finish second over Bob Hope (G3) winner Bullard, followed by Smooth Cruisein and the multiple Grade 1-placed McKinzie Street.

Guns Loaded hangs on in Mucho Macho Man

Churchill Downs maiden winner Guns Loaded made a successful stakes debut in Saturday’s one-mile Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park, leading all the way through splits of :24.54, :47.61, and 1:12.75 to defeat Treaty of Rome by a neck in 1:38.87.

Expect to see Guns Loaded join the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the near future, with the Feb. 1 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream looming as a logical target.

Rodriguez wins fast maiden special weight

Runner-up to stablemate Romanesque in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar, Rodriguez made his second start a winning one in a one-mile maiden special weight on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Trained by Baffert, Rodriguez led through fractions of :22.91, :46.33, and 1:10.27 and pulled away strongly down the homestretch to win by seven lengths over a field including Road to the Kentucky Derby points earner Rank. Rodriguez reached the finish line in a quick 1:35.91 and may soon appear in a Kentucky Derby qualifier.

Kentucky Derby contender workouts

Here are some of the latest workouts recorded by Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners:

Admiral Dennis: Regrouping from his fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Gun Runner S., Admiral Dennis clocked half a mile in :49.00 on Friday at Fair Grounds.

Built: In his first timed exercise since dominating the Gun Runner, Built worked four furlongs in :51.80 on Friday at Fair Grounds.

Citizen Bull: The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner continues to train strongly at Santa Anita, where he sped five furlongs in a bullet :59.20 on Friday.

Dominant Spirit: Third in the Remington Springboard Mile, Dominant Spirit worked half a mile in :49.60 on Friday at Sam Houston.

East Avenue: On Friday at Fair Grounds, Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue turned in his first workout since finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, getting half a mile in :49.20.

Gaming:  The Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Friday at Santa Anita, more than two seconds faster than his 1:02.60 clocking from six days prior.

Owen Almighty: Runner-up in the Iroquois (G3), Owen Almighty traversed four furlongs at Palm Meadows in a swift :47.60 on Saturday.

Poster: The Remsen (G2) winner continues to train on Tapeta at Turfway Park, where he breezed five furlongs in 1:02.80 on Friday.

Render Judgment: Coming off a third in the Gun Runner, Render Judgment clocked five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Sandman: Fresh off an impressive allowance optional claiming win at Oaklawn, Street Sense (G3) third-place finisher Sandman returned to the work tab with half a mile in :48.80 on Tuesday at Oaklawn.

Speed King: Runner-up to Coal Battle in the Remington Springboard Mile, Speed King worked four furlongs in :48.60 on Saturday at Oaklawn.

Tux: The Remsen (G2) third-place finisher clocked an easy half-mile in :50.40 on Tuesday at Payson Park.

American Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Citizen Bull (40 points)
2. Coal Battle (20 points)
3. Gaming (18 points)
4. Getaway Car (16 points)
5. Jonathan’s Way (15 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)