Kentucky Derby Roundup: Disco Time joins the leaderboard

The 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 103 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:

Disco Time edges Built in thrilling Lecomte finish

The $250,000 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds last Saturday drew a 13-horse field befitting the 20-10-6-4-2 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points up for grabs. With twice as many points on the table as in other recent Derby preps, the Lecomte promised to shake up the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in a major way.

The 1 1/16-mile race took place over a sloppy track, and for a time it appeared longshot pacesetter Innovator would steal the Lecomte on the front end. He led by 2 1/2 lengths after setting fractions of :23.68, :47.91, and 1:13.38, but grew leg-weary in the final furlong and settled for third place by three-quarters of a length.

The first to catch Innovator was Built, coming off a runaway win in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds. Shifting from pacesetting to rating tactics didn’t dampen Built’s competitive spirit, and he took a narrow lead close to the Lecomte finish line.

But it was Disco Time who made the final, winning move. Closing from 10th place, 10 1/4 lengths off the early pace, Disco Time surged in the closing yards to catch Built and prevail by a neck in 1:47.07. The Juddmonte homebred is now unbeaten in three starts for trainer Brad Cox and debuts in third place on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 20 points.

RELATED: Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Disco Time

Built earned 10 points for his runner-up finish and likewise has 20 points, ranking fourth with non-restricted stakes earnings serving as the tiebreaker. Innovator debuts in 18th place with 6 points, while Golden Afternoon and Maximum Promise—fourth and fifth in the Lecomte—currently rank outside the leaderboard top 20.

Gaming, Patch Adams lead strong Southwest field

An excellent field has turned out for the $1 million Southwest (G3), slated to take place over 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park this Saturday. Like the Lecomte, the Southwest awards Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis.

The likely favorites are Gaming and Patch Adams. Gaming is the more accomplished of the duo, counting a win in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and a second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on his record. But Patch Adams is bound to draw support off a powerful 10 1/2-length maiden win at Churchill Downs last fall.

In addition to Gaming, proven Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners in the field include Remington Springboard Mile S. runner-up Speed King, Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and Street Sense (G3) top-three finisher Tiztastic, Street Sense third-place finisher Sandman, Gun Runner S. third-place runner Render Judgment, and Smarty Jones S. fourth-place finisher Bon Temps.

Rounding out the field are American Promise and Publisher, who ran 1-2 in a fast maiden race at Oaklawn last month, and Monet’s Magic, winner of a $125,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn.

Barnes plunges to 6-1 in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3

The undefeated Barnes remains the early individual favorite for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, closing at 6-1 odds in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3. Thanks to a romping victory in the San Vicente (G2) at the start of January, Barnes’ odds dropped sharply from the 13-1 price he offered as the individual favorite in Pool 2.

The broad “All Other Three-Year-Olds” option proved only slightly more popular than Barnes in Pool 3, closing at 4-1 odds. For a complete list of the betting interests and final odds, check out our recap of Pool 3.

Kentucky Derby contender workouts

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

Aviator Gui: The narrowly beaten Remsen (G2) runner-up breezed four furlongs in :49.60 on Sunday at Payson Park.

Citizen Bull: The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner turned in a strong six-furlong workout on Saturday at Santa Anita, getting the distance in a bullet 1:12.00.

Coal Battle: Just 11 days after winning the Smarty Jones S., Coal Battle breezed half a mile in an easy :52.20 on Wednesday at Delta Downs.

East Avenue: Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue turned in a bullet workout on Friday at Fair Grounds, getting five furlongs in :59.40.

Ferocious: Breeders’ Futurity and Hopeful (G1) runner-up Ferocious clocked half a mile in :48.15 on Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

Gaming: Wrapping up his preparations for the Southwest, Gaming traversed five furlongs in 1:01.00 on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Getaway Car: Runner-up in the American Pharoah (G1) and Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), Getaway Car worked half a mile in :48.40 at Santa Anita last Monday.

Giocoso: The Iroquois (G3) third-place finisher traveled five furlongs in 1:01.00 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Poster: After missing one workout due to winter weather at Turfway Park, Remsen winner Poster got back in action with five furlongs in 1:03.00 on Saturday at Turfway.

Sandman: Gearing up for the Southwest, Sandman worked a fast four furlongs in :48.00 on Friday at Oaklawn.

Smoken Wicked: In his first work since dominating the Louisiana Futurity, Champagne (G1) fourth-place finisher Smoken Wicked worked three furlongs in :38.20 at Fair Grounds.

Sovereignty: The Street Sense (G3) winner turned in his first workout of 2025 when breezing four furlongs in :49.20 on Wednesday at Payson Park.

Speed King: In advance of the Southwest, Speed King blazed four furlongs in :47.00 on Saturday at Oaklawn. It was the fastest of 302 morning workouts at that distance.

Tiztastic: Placed in the Street Sense and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), Tiztastic worked four furlongs in :49.80 on Sunday at Fair Grounds, presumably his final timed exercise before the Southwest.

Tux: The Remsen third-place finisher worked five furlongs in 1:02.00 on Sunday at Payson Park.

American Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Citizen Bull (40 points)
2. Coal Battle (20 points)
3. Disco Time (20 points)
4. Built (20 points)
5. Gaming (18 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)